Drug fatalities pile up in Northern, Central Luzon

Names revealed 

MORE DRUG-RELATED killings were reported in North and Central Luzon last week.

In Baguio City, businessman Fernando Manangan was shot in the head while DenibBavistamin, 44, was stabbed dead in the chest by unidentified men along First Road in Barangay Quezon Hill.

The fatalities were on the barangay drug watchlist.

La Union casualties

In La Union, Joel Ofania, 32, was driving his tricycle in Barangay Macalva in Agoo town when a man wearing a bonnet alighted from a van and opened fire.

On Wednesday Jamichael Diaz, 25, was shot dead during an anti-drug operation in Barangay Leones East in Tubao, La Union.

Chief Insp. SilverioOrdinado Jr., La Union police information officer, said a policeman fired at Diaz as he was about to pull the pin of a grenade when he sensed that he had sold a sachet of shabu to an undercover agent.

The suspect reportedly yielded two sachets of shabu.

The suspect reportedly sold shabu worth P500 to cops at around 10:00 a.m. when he sensed that he is transacting with a policeman and immediately ran but was cornered by pursuing policemen.

He was about to pull the pin of a hand grenade but was shot by policemen in the head which causes his immediate death.

The Explosive Ordnance Division was called in to handle the grenade.

Ordinado said Diaz was on the Tubao police’s drug watchlist.

Ilocos Norte

In Ilocos Norte, unidentified men shot dead Kevin Judalena, 17, in Barangay Paratong in Paoay town.

Chief Inspector Dexter Corpuz, Ilocos Norte police spokesman,  saidJudalena was driving his motorcycle when he was waylaid.

Corpuz said Judalena was shot when he pulled over in front of a cockpit at around 8 p.m. Three bullet shells for a 9mm pistol were recovered at the scene.

Pangasinan

Also on Wednesday in Pangasinan, businessman Zaldy Perez, 56, was reportedly on his way to the police station to surrender when unidentified men in a Toyota Grandia  fired at him.

Perez was driving his motorcycle with his brother, a village councilman, when he was attacked. 

Chief Inspector Greg Guerrero, Ilocos Sur police spokesman, said Agrisola surrendered under OplanTokhang recently.

Benjie Revolteado, 30, a suspected member of the Rosal drug ring operating in Ilocos Sur, was arrested along with his cohort Frederick Ramos in Barangay San Julian Norte in  Vigan City.

Five sachets of shabu, drug paraphernalia and P1,500 in cash were reportedly recovered from the suspects.

Urdaneta casualty

Rodel Bondi, 24, was talking with his fellow tricycle drivers while waiting for passengers in Barangay San Vicente in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan on Monday night when unidentified men shot him several times.

Supt. Marceliano Desamito Jr., Urdaneta City police acting director, said Bondi was ranked fifth on the barangay drug watchlist.

Senior Supt. Manuel Cornel, Nueva Ecija police director, identified two of the fatalities as Narciso Lopez Jr., 46, a resident of Barangay Mapalit in San Isidro town, and JimboyAdra, 25, of Barangay Piut, Carranglan.

Cornel said unidentified motorcycle-riding men gunned down Lopez and Adra, who were allegedly drug personalities in their areas.

Ilocos Sur

In Ilocos Sur, Dominador Agrisola Jr. remains confined at the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center after unidentified men shot him while crossing the national highway in Barangay Barangobong in Sta. Lucia town also on Tuesday.

Nueva Ecija

In Nueva Ecija, a police officer was killed in an alleged encounter with anti-drug operatives in Barangay Poblacion in Gapan City.

Police Officer 3 Emmanuel Obille, 42, a member of the Gapan City police, allegedly drew his gun when he sensed that he had sold a sachet of shabu to undercover agents.

Bulacan

In Bulacan, NowellPaguio, 36, alias Tattoo, was killed in a police operation in Barangay San Isidro in Paombong town on Tuesday night.

Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director, said Paguio was among the top 10 drug personalities in Paombong.

Paguio’s companion, who was known only by the alias Paa, eluded arrest.

Caramat said two fatalities were also killed identified as Jomar Sacramento,  resident of Barangay San Martin de Porres in San Jose Del Monte City, and CristitutoCalimpas of Barangay Matictic, Norzagaray.

Caramat said Sacramento was gunned down by unidentified men while Calimpas shot it out with policemen who posed as buyers during a sting on Wednesday.

Marlon San Diego was killed in an alleged shootout with police during an anti-drug operation in Angeles City also on Wednesday.

Senior Supt. Sidney Villaflor, Angeles City police director, said San Diego yielded two sachets of shabu and a caliber .38 revolver. 

Still in Bulacan, Ruben Angustia, a resident of Mary Grace Subdivision in Barangay Sta. Rosa in Marilao town, and Marcelo de la Cruz, of Barangay Bambang in Bocaue.

Caramat said Angustia resisted arrest during a sting along MacArthur highway in Barangay Abangan Sur, Marilao. 

Caramat said the suspect yielded two sachets of shabu, a caliber .38 revolver and ammunition.

He said De la Cruz’s companions Ronalyn de Vera and JermyMarcilla were arrested. 

Police said 15 sachets of shabu, a .22-caliber revolver and P1,000 in cash were recovered from the suspects.

Caramat said two men who have yet to be identified were killed during an anti-drug operation in Barangay Longos in Pulilan town. 

Police said four were slain in anti-drug operations in Bulacan Tuesday.

Two of the fatalities were identified as Ruben Angustia, a resident of Mary Grace Subdivision in Barangay Sta. Rosa in Marilao town, and Marcelo de la Cruz, of Barangay Bambang in Bocaue.

Caramat said two men who have yet to be identified were killed during an anti-drug operation in Barangay Longos in Pulilan town. 

Also Monday, a certain Junior Candelario reportedly shot at police officers who were conducting a sting in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

The officers retaliated, killing Candelario at the scene.

Police recovered three plastic sachets said to contain shabu and a .38 caliber revolver from the suspect.

A similar operation in Capas, Tarlac resulted in the killing of Mark Chris Castro, according to provincial police acting director Superintendent Westrimundo Obinque.       

Cagayan

In Cagayan, Celoford Tumaneng was collared in Barangay 3, Claveria town after handing five sachets of shabu worth P50,000 to undercover agents, said Senior Inspector Clarence Labasan, town police chief.

Labasan said Tumaneng is a relative of barangay chairman Victor Tumaneng, who was arrested in July after a raid on his room at a local resort yielded P150 million worth of shabu.

Nueva Ecija

Three were found dead in Nueva Ecija. The fatalities were identified as Imelda Cando, Noel Esquivel and Venerando Esteban. Their bodies bore gunshot wounds as well as sachets of suspected shabu, their faces were wrapped in cloth and their hands and feet bound with wire.

The bodies were dumped along the circumferential road in Barangay MS Garcia in Cabanatuan City.

Also in Nueva Ecija, Arnold Macapagal was killed during a sting in Aliaga town.

Edgar Leonardo, 43, who was on the drug watchlist  of Barangay Malate in Palayan City, was shot dead by unidentified men.

Bulacan

In Sta. Maria, Bulacan, the body of an unidentified man was found in Barangay San Gabriel.

Michael Angelo Castro, 47, was shot dead by unidentified men in Ilocos Sur.

The assailants stormed Castro’s house in Barangay del Pilar in Tagudin town, said Chief Inspector Greg Guerrero, Ilocos Sur police spokesman.

Guerrero said Castro, who was ranked third on the drug watchlist of the Tagudin police, surrendered under OplanTokhang in July.

In Pangasinan, Barry Ungcar, 58, was walking on his way home in Barangay Palaris in San Carlos City when motorcycle-riding men fired at him.

Ungcar was pronounced dead on arrival at the Virgen Milagrosa Medical Center. -- With reports from Ric Sapnu, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Raymund Catindig, Eva Visperas, Vic Alhambra