Five drug suspects slain; arrests lessen

FIVE DRUG SUSPECTS were slain in Bulacan last week even as the number of apprehensions lessened in North and Central Luzon.

Miguel Santos, 52, was resting on his motorcycle along the road when he was gunned down by suspected vigilantes along Cagayan Valley road in Barangay Capihan, San Rafael, Bulacan on Tuesday.

Santos was on the barangay drug watchlist, said Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director.

Four were slain by suspected vigilantes in Bulacan on Monday.

Botchog Mercado was walking along the road in Barangay Libis in San Rafael town when an unidentified man fired at him. A piece of cardboard identifying Mercado as a drug pusher was found near his body.

Kier Balaguer, alias Bombitan, and an alias Aweng were in a vacant lot in Barangay Banga also in San Rafael when three men appeared from behind and shot them repeatedly.

Ariel Sacdalan, 47, and his son were walking in Barangay Pulong Buhangin in Sta. Maria when he was gunned down. 

Police said the fatalities were on the barangay drug watchlist.

Suspected drug users and pushers have been arrested in police operations.

Vendor Pepito Mendoza, 43, was arrested during a raid on his house on Barangay Paddaya in Aparri, Cagayan on Tuesday.

Arnulfo Galiguis was nabbed after he sold shabu to anti-drug operatives in Barangay Quezon in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya. --  Ric Sapnu, Raymund Catindig