The leader of an alleged drug trafficking group in Cainta, Rizal, was shot dead while five of its purported members—including a 22-year-old birthday celebrator, and a balut vendor who, according to the police, sells balut and “shabu” at the same time—were arrested by the police on Friday evening.

Randy “Kamote” Santos, 35—the alleged leader of the Kamote drug trafficking group—was shot dead by the police after firing shots against the police during a buy-bust operation along Glass Extension, Lakas Bisig in Barangay San Andres, said Chief Insp. Rommel Macatlang, head of the Eastern Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

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Macatlang said Santos sold a sachet of shabu to a policeman poseur buyer around 9 p.m. A minute later, Santos fired at least three successive gunshots toward the police after discovering the police drug operation. The policemen then retaliated, hitting him in the chest.

Santos, who had been in the CIDG and Cainta police’s drug watch list, was the initial subject of the buy-bust operation. The CIDG also arrested five more companions who were allegedly caught taking shabu inside a makeshift house, Macatlang said.

Arrested were Raymond Garcia, 27, a resident of Floodway, Pasig City, who hid inside the comfort room of a neighboring house; Robert Anthony Perez, 29; balut vendor Michael Hancorda, 31; Harold Jemino, 22, and birthday celebrator Jewelry Balinag, 22, of Maybunga, Pasig.

At the CIDG office in the Pasig Police headquarters were some of the suspects’ mothers to assist them.

Speaking to Inquirer at the CIDG office, Balinag’s mother Eleanor said her son told her that he would go out and celebrate his birthday with some friends. As a gift, she even provided him food to share with his friends.

She admitted his son was using illegal drugs and had long been advised to stop and surrender. “I hope they will just offer my son drug rehabilitation,” she added.

Jemino’s mother Julieta said she did not know her son was using illegal drugs. “He just asked for P100 from me before he left our home as he will be joining his friend on his birthday,” she said.

According to initial investigations, Macatlang said Hancorda was not only using shabu but also peddling it while selling balut. “A repacked sachet of shabu containing a ‘grain’ of shabu cost a peso to his patrons along Floodway area,” the chief said.

Hancorda’s wife, who is seven months pregnant, denied allegations her husband was a drug pusher.

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Recovered from the crime scene were a .38-cal. revolver with three fired cartridges and two live cartridges, weighing scale, lighters and various drug paraphernalia, P800 buy bust money, and nine plastic sachets of shabu.

The five who underwent inquest proceedings on Saturday morning are facing probable charges for violations of Sections 5,11, 12 and 15 of Republic Act No. 9165.

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