Vigilantes slay 14 drug pushers in Nueva Ecija

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija -- Suspected vigilantes are being tied by police to 14 drug suspects who turned up dead in Nueva Ecija from the time President Duterte waged his all-out war on crime and illegal drugs in the country.

The latest deaths were reported in Cabanatuan City last Wednesday and police identified them as Macario Mamangon Ignacio, alias “Kayo,” 45, of Purok Pag-Asa, Barangay Daan Sarile, and Jonathan Errna Atacador, 31, a tricycle driver and resident of Purok 1, Barangay Valle.

Atacador was found on the side of the Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road, in Barangay San Isidro at 3:30 p.m. while Ignacio was reportedly shot by a motorcycle-riding gunman an hour earlier on Maharlika Highway in Barangay Bitas. Police said both have been previously linked to illegal drugs and carnapping activities.

A day earlier, four alleged top drug suspects in the towns of Talavera and Llanera were also killed by a group of vigilantes, reports reaching this camp said.

Supt. Leandro Novilla, Talavera police chief, said Mirasol Lavapie Ramos, who was killed by gunmen aboard a blue van, was allegedly the No. 1 drug dealer in their town and that her husband, Jelvin, has long been detained at the Nueva Ecija Provincial Jail facing a case of drug pushing.

In Llanera town, Senior Inspector Romeo M. Gamis Jr., local police chief, said suspected drug pushers Manuel Ceña Andres, alias “Ogie,” 47; Melda Valdez Trapalgal, 46; and Alma Panahaon Santos, 47, were all gunned down also by alleged vigilantes.

Eight other residents have also been killed in Cabanatuan City, Talavera, and Gapan City by unidentified gunmen who apparently target drug pushers.

Police officer killed

Meanwhile, a police officer known to be operating against drug peddlers in Pampanga was found dead before midnight last Wednesday in Barangay Ubihan, Meycauayan City.

Supt. Lailene Amparo, officer-in-charge of the city police, said Police Officer 3 Michael Lee Martin Manalad, 34, assigned to the Malolos City Police Station, was still in uniform when his body was found.

PO3 Manalad was apparently strangled to death as he was found tied by the neck around a pole on the roadside with a placard that read: “Pulis na pusher pa wag tularan.”

Barangay Captain Niño Villadoz said his constituents heard two gunshots before PO3 Manalad’s body was found.

Sources who know PO3 Manalad told the Manila Bulletin he was known as an anti-drugs operative and could have been silenced to prevent him from spilling the beans on big-time drug dealers and protectors in Bulacan.

2 killed in Bulacan

Meanwhile, Sr. Supt. Romeo Caramat, Bulacan Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, said two more drug suspects were killed in legitimate police operations in San Ildefonso and Plaridel last Wednesday.

In Plaridel, a buy-bust operation went awry when the subject – Aldwin Salvador, alias “Aweng” – shot it out with police operatives and was gunned down. His alleged cohort, Ahren Santos, alias “Ayen,” was arrested after a chase in Sitio Dike, Barangay Banga 2nd.

In San Ildefonso, elements of the Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC), led by Supt. Ganaban Ali, were serving a search warrant at the house of Nicky Noel Villanueva Santos, alias “Nicky,” 40, in Sitio Gulod, Barangay Pinaod, when they were met by gunfire. Police fought back and killed Santos.