A cop is the latest casualty in the current trend of buy-bust shootouts, a bloody fight against illegal drugs.

In an operation at around 10:15 p.m. on September 8 in barangay Lourdes in Panglao, members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team successfully entrapped PO3 Irmon Butil in a buy-bust operation.

Butil, a 35-year-old resident of Alicia, was assigned as police officer assigned in Lila.

According to the SWAT Team, Butil opened fire at them upon noticing that he was dealing with a cop.

This prompted the return fire from the buy-bust team composed of the SWAT Team, led by PC/Insp. Jamiri, the police team of Panglao, and the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB)-7 team.

Also according to reports, Butil was among the subjects of a raid earlier, in the afternoon of the same day.

The buy-bust operation was conducted as a follow-up operation.

Aside from the small sachet of shabu Butil handed to the poseur-buyer, the buy-bust team also recovered the 500-peso bill used as marked money, and eight more packs of shabu in sachets of different sizes from Butil.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) also recovered a black Honda XRM motorcycle without serial number, a 9mm Pietro Berette pistol with serial no. P86167Z loaded with live ammunitions, a 9mm fired cartridge, and another fired bullet.

Butil was subjected to police operations, following intelligence report that he had been engaged in the illegal drugs trade despite being in active police service.