8 illegal drug pushers killed in Northern, Central Luzon

11 nabbed in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- Seven alleged illegal drug traffickers were killed in northern and Central Luzon even as 11 persons were arrested in Baguio last week following announcements by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte that he would go hard after pushers and users by ordering police to kill them if they resisted arrest or fought it out.

Duterte had promised to eradicate the drug menace within three to six months.

Nueva Ecija couple ambushed

In Cabiao, Nueva Ecija,  Efren Damian, who was on the drug watchlist of the Talavera police, was killed Wednesday while his partner Angeline Dar was wounded in a gun attack. Senior Supt. Manuel Cornel, Nueva Ecija police director, said the couple was tending their store when unidentified men on a motorcycle fired at them.

Isabela top drug suspect killed

In Isabela, another drug suspect in the province’s most wanted list was gunned down by unidentified men in San Pablo town on June 12.

Villagers found a bloodied Jayvee Malillin, alias Chuchu, in front of a rice mill in Barangay Calamagui at around 11:30 p.m., said Chief Insp. Alladin Revocal, San Pablo police chief.

Malilin, who was ranked fourth on the list of drug personalities in Isabela, died while being treated at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center.

Malillin was the third top drug suspect in Cagayan Valley killed by unidentified men this month after Jefferson Basa of Aurora, Isabela and Rodelyn Umoquit of  Buguey, Cagayan.

The top drug suspect in a neighboring town was killed in gun attack here last week.

Jefferson Basa was in a tricycle when unidentified motorcycle-riding men fired at him in Barangay San Andres in at dawn Monday, said Senior Insp. Noriel Lacangan, Cabatuan police chief.

Lacangan said Basa was the second most wanted drug personality in Aurora town.

Basa was pronounced dead on arrival in a hospital. Four bullet shells for a .45-caliber pistol were recovered at the scene.

Nueva Ecija ambush

In Nueva Ecija, a drug suspect and her brother-in-law were gunned down in Talavera, town afternoon of June 10.             Senior Supt. Manuel Cornel, provincial police director, identified the fatalities as Sheryl Santos, 31, and Pedro Santos, 45.

Sheryl died at the scene while Pedro died while being treated in a hospital.

Probers said Sheryl and her three children were in a tricycle driven by Pedro when a red car with no plate number blocked their path.

The assailants ordered the victims to lie face down on the ground and shot Sheryl and Pedro in the head.

Police Officer 3 Marvin Verde said Sheryl was on the drug watchlist of the Talavera police.

Pampanga killings

In Arayat, Pampanga, Enrique Mendiola, 40, was about to ride a tricycle at Plaza Luma when he was shot dead by two men on a motorcycle last week.

Arayat Mayor Bon Alejandrino said Mendiola was a known drug pusher in the town and a suspect  in last week’s killing of a certain Joel Garcia, another drug personality.

Alejandrino said the killing of Mendiola could be perpetrated by vigilantes, but cited reports that those involved in illegal drugs are fighting with each other for fear of the tough anti-drug stance of the incoming administration.

Tarlac village chief shot dead

In Paniqui, Tarlac, a barangay chairman was gunned down Tuesday.

Ariel Mauricio, 53, of Barangay Poblacion Centro, was driving his Toyota Vios (ZSV-410) on his way home after withdrawing money from a bank when he was shot in Barangay Estacion, according to a report received by Senior Superintendent Alex Sintin, Tarlac police director.

The victim died while being treated at the Rayos-Velentin Hospital.

Three bullet shells for a .45-caliber pistol were recovered at the scene.

Probers said the killing could be drug-related as the victim had been serious in his campaign against illegal drugs.

The victim was the younger brother of lawyer Melanio “Batas” Mauricio.       

Abra village head nabbed

Meanwhile, in Dolores, Abra, a village councilor was arrested in a drug sting last week. 

Jimmy Binehas of Barangay Cabaroan was collared while allegedly selling a sachet of shabu to an undercover agent. 

Police said Binehas is on the list of drug suspects in Abra.

Drug suspect missing from Cagayan jail

This, as drug suspect Michael Maribbay, was discovered missing from his detention cell in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan on June 10.

Maribbay was reportedly allowed by a certain Rey Alexis Abig, a provincial government employee, to leave the provincial jail on May 20 without authority from jail warden Perfecto Santos, said Senior Supt. Ronaldo Olay, Cagayan police director.

Cagayan governor-elect Manuel Mamba said he would order an investigation into the case.

“I will not allow the provincial jail to take custody of high-profile criminals. It’s within the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology whose personnel are more trained and competent,” Mamba said.

Baguio suspects nabbed

In Baguio City, police arrested Monday seven persons for illegal possession of drugs.  Arrested were Robert LantanAngco Sr. alias “Commander Libra”, male, 50, of Maryhurst Road, Outlook Drive; James Allan Sofronio, 49, of Km 6 La Trinidad, Benguet; Melchor Aplod Camasan, 45, of Mankayan, Benguet; Elmer AswatGaling, 40 of Natonin, Mt. Province; HildoAblos Bogsit 53, of La Trinidad; Novelyn Bastawan Supa, 29, of Sagada, Mt. Province; and Bosh Aba Duclayan Baquiran, 28, single, from Vigan, Ilocos Sur. 

Seized from the suspects were: eight pieces of heat-sealed pouches containing shabu, two digital weighing scales, drug paraphernalia, six pieces 50 peso bill, seven  pieces 20 peso bill, five units of Samsung cellphone, one Nokia cellphone, and one Smith and Wesson revolver.

In another Baguio raid, cops and narcotics agents arrested Tuesday about 3 a.m. a certain Clark Duque Borce, 36, of Lower Quirino Hill for illegal possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Borce was nabbed at a transient house with in a buy-bust operation wherein a P500 bill and undisclosed amount of shabu was taken from him.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old student vandalizing a telephone box along Kalaw St. in the summer capital was arrested Tuesday around 3 p.m. for having in his possession marijuana. Nabbed was Andrew Chadwick MurosEscorpizo, of Hamada Subdivision.

Investigation disclosed roving policemen caught the suspect vandalizing a telephone steel box located beside the Court of Appeals.

Confiscated from Excorpizo were chalk pen, marijuana leaves and sticks, rolling papers and a lighter.

Still in Baguio, narcotics and National Bureau of Investigation agents arrested

a certain Abdul Raffy Zenab Ampaso, 24, of Lower Quirino Hill here Tuesday around 8 p.m. in a buy-bust operation. 

Confiscated from the suspect were four grams of shabu P1,000 and cell phone. Ampaso was incarcerated at the city jail.

Still in Baguio, lawmen conducted a buy-bust operation along Upper Pinget here Tuesday which resulted in the arrest of Charles Basbas Fernandez, 28, of Slaughter Compound, Magsaysay. Confiscated from the suspect were : five P500 bills, shabu worth P10,000, weighing scale, cellphone among other items.

Cordillera search warrants

Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency –Cordillera implemented six search warrants that resulted to the seizure of guns, bullets and illegal drugs in Cordillera last week.

In Langangilang, Abra, the PNP and the PDEA implemented five search warrants issued by Judge Raphiel F Alzate of Regional Trial Court, Branch 1, Bangued and Branch 58, Bucay.

This resulted to apprehension of Justine Calwing Flores, 23, of Laang, Langangilang, after they confiscated shabu and paraphernalia, cell phone among other items from him.

Four search warrants yielded negative results.

Ex-army man nabbed 

In Flora, Apayao,  tSilverioSipsip Juan, 47, retired member of the Philippine Army was arrested after two M16 rifles and Cal. 45 were confiscated from him including several bullets.

Also confiscated from the suspect were paraphernalia and shabu.

Benguet haul

In Benguet, a buy-bust operations were conducted  inBuyagan, La Trinidad, Benguet that resulted in the arrest of Nardo Agustin, 42 and Abraham Flores, 35.  

Confiscated from the suspects were shabu worth P78, 000, drug paraphernalia and buy-bust money worth P11,500.

This, as Cordillera regional police director Chief Supt. UllyssesAbellera, said results of the recent drug tests conducted on commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the region tested negative.  

“We are happy that no policeman in the regional headquarters tested positive on the use of illegal drugs but we will continue the conduct of surprise drug tests among our personnel down to the station level to remind them not to be involved in the use of illegal drugs which might compromise their future and affect their credibility as law enforcers,” Abellera said.

In Baguio City, Senior Supt. George D. Daskeo, acting city police director also reported that the recent surprise drug test conducted on officers and personnel turned out to be negative.

He said surprise drug tests will be done in police stations. – With reports from Raymund Catindig, MydsSupnad, Eva Visperas and Ric Sapnu