ZAMBOANGA CITY (August 20) — Two police officers were killed in a buy-bust operation turned armed confrontation, at around 2:25 in the afternoon, Saturday August 18.
The incident happened few minutes before President Rodrigo Duterte increased the reward for ‘Ninja Cops” to P5-million.
The Zamboanga Police office identified the dead officers as Police Officer (PO) 3 Ronald Bernardo and PO2 Maria Oliver Olaso, both assigned in Police Precinct No. 9.
Operatives from Zamboanga City Police Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), 5th SAB PNP-SAF, led by P/Supt Ariel Red, conducted a buy-bust operation dubbed as operation “Cold Stone” against Bernardo and Olaso.
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In a report, Zamboanga City Police Office, stated “Subject PNCO upon sensing that they were dealing with the operatives, fired upon our operatives which resulted in armed confrontation that led to the death of both subject.”-Mirasol Monteza/RMN-Zamboanga City