Death of a friend

I considered Maj. Gacadan as one of a friend and barkada..I remember the days when we all drink together, go to the bars and eat together with some of our friends..The last time i met him is during the Kalinga foundation Day where we had our drinking spree at home, he is 15 years older than me but we have something in common, he is a product of PNPA...yesterday is just a very sad news..just because of the very sad news i have cut and paste some articles about his death..
by Grace @ 8:01 pm. Filed under News

By Ernie N. Olson Jr.

BAGUIO CITY -– A ranking police official and an alleged drug pusher were killed while a government agent was seriously injured after an anti-drug operation ended up in a shootout in Bangued, Abra before noon Wednesday.

Cordillera Police Regional Director Raul Gonzales identified the fatalities as Chief Inspector Dante Gacadan, chief of the Abra Provincial Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG) and Aga Ato, 21, a native of Mamantao, Lanao del Sur, who was reported to be a known drug personality operating in Abra and the Ilocos Region.

The wounded policeman, on the other hand, was named as Police Officer 2 Renato Guerrero of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) field office there.

According to Gonzales, Gacadan and Guerrero were conducting surveillance on Ato’s illegal drug operations, when the latter was seen armed with a handgun in front of the Benesa compound at around 11:15 a.m. last July 11.

“The suspect, who was on board a motorcycle, sensed the approaching personnel and fired at them. A hot pursuit operation then ensued, which resulted to a shootout, where Gacadan and Guerrero were both hit,” Gonzales reported.(Sun.Star Baguio)


A RANKING police official and an alleged drug pusher were killed while a government agent was seriously injured after an anti-drug operation ended up in a shootout in Bangued, Abra before noon Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Raul Gonzales, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Cordillera, identified the fatalities as Chief Inspector Dante Gacadan, chief of the Abra Provincial Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG); and Aga Ato, 21, a native of Mamantao, Lanao del Sur, who was reported to be a known drug personality operating in Abra and the Ilocos Region.


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The wounded policeman, on the other hand, was named as Police Officer 2 Renato Guerrero of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) field office there.

According to Gonzales, Gacadan and Guerrero were conducting surveillance on Ato's illegal drug operations, when the latter was seen armed with a handgun in front of the Benesa compound at around 11:15 a.m. last July 11.

After Gacadan called for backup, personnel of the 1601st Provincial Police Mobole Group led by their group commander, Senior Inspector Larry Baunsi, immediately proceeded to the area.

"The suspect, who was on board a motorcycle, sensed the approaching personnel and fired at them. A hot pursuit operation then ensued, which resulted to a shootout, where Gacadan and Guerrero were both hit," Gonzales reported.

Although both of them were immediately rushed to the Abra Provincial Hospital, Gacadan was pronounced dead upon arrival there, while Guerrero underwent medical treatment and was subsequently confined there. The suspect was also hit and died on the spot.

Recovered by a responding scene-of-the-crime operations team in the area was one Mark IV cal. 45 pistol bearing serial number 180852.

A follow-up operation conducted by a composite team from the PRO-Cordillera Intelligence & Investigation Division, the PNP Intelligence Group 14, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Abra Provincial Police Office led them to the boardinghouse of the suspect, which is owned by Jerry Colet of Danglas, Abra.

They recovered one small weighing scale and several amounts of suspected shabu placed in a heat-sealed sachet there.

Gacadan’s body was transferred to the Baquiran Funeral Homes, while the cadaver of the suspect was brought to Pineda Funeral Homes.

Gonzales said the case is still undergoing follow-up investigation as of presstime Wednesday.