By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Two suspected gun runners and a police officer were wounded in a shootout at the front gate of Villa Socorro Subdivision Phase 2, along Circumferential Road in Bacolod City’s Barangay Taculing before noon yesterday.

Suspects Michael Bintoroso, 44 years old, a resident of Barangay Codcod in Negros Occidental’s San Carlos City; and Alex Vilegas, 33 years old, of Bacolod’s Barangay Pahanocoy, were injured in the shootout with operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Bacolod.

The wounded cop was Corporal Rey Sivestre, a CIDG field unit operative.

Police Captain Dax Santillan, Station 6 commander, said they were informed by the CIDG that they would be conducting an entrapment operation in their area, targeting two alleged gun runners.

According to the information released to them by the CIDG operatives, the two suspects were riding a motorcycle, while the police operatives were in a white sports utility vehicle (SUV).

When both vehicles stopped in the area, Vilegas dismounted the motorcycle and approached the SUV, not knowing that they were cops.

A transaction then occurred, wherein the suspect sold a .45 caliber pistol for P17,000.

However, one of the suspects, presumably Bintoroso, found out that they were transacting with undercover cops and immediately opened fire at the SUV.

The initial shots hit Sivestre on his hand, and other operatives returned fire, hitting both suspects on their legs.

The two suspects and the wounded cop were immediately rushed to the Bacolod Doctor’s Hospital for treatment.

Police recovered a 9mm pistol and a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene, as well as three pistol magazines, the P17,000 boodle money, and a mobile phone.

The CIDG are currently conducting a background check of the suspects to find out if they are involved in other criminal activities./DGB, WDJ