More drug suspects slain in North Luzon

3 dead in Baguio 

THE BODY COUNT of drug suspects killed last week allegedly by government lawmen, vigilantes or those out to even a score has continued to pile up. 

In Baguio City, jeepney driver Dante Castro, 44, alias Boying Bato, was shot dead by one of his passengers along West Bayan Park, Aurora Hill on Wednesday. 


        Chief Insp. Gil Imado, Station 6 chief, said Castro was on their drug watchlist and surrendered under Oplan Tokhang in July.

Imado said the mobile phone of the fatality showed his illegal drug transactions.

       A man who has yet to be identified was also found dead along the road in Baguio  Tuesday.

       Supt. Rodrigo Leal of the Baguio City scene of the crime operatives said the victim bore two gunshot wounds in the neck.

Leal said three sachets of shabu were found in the pocket of the victim.

       Meanwhile, drug suspect Romel Maipili, 34 was wounded Tuesday while he was walking at the Baguio City public market when two men wearing bonnets opened fire. He was in barangay drug list and earlier surrendered to police.

Sensinado Taloza, councilman of Barangay Paddaya in Aparri, Cagayan was arrested during a raid on his house Thursday.

         Chief Insp. Pepito Mendoza, Aparri police chief, said the raid was based on a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Conrado Tabaco.

Glen Liberato, 35, who was ranked second on the drug watchlist of Sta. Ana town in Cagayan, and newly identified drug suspects Michael Braceros, 39, and Rodolfo Valderama, 35, were arrested during a pot session in Barangay Tangatan on Wednesday. 


Larry Arnedo, 40, also on the drug watchlist, was collared in Barangay San Gabriel in Tuguegarao, Cagayan on Wednesday.

        In Bulacan, Manuel Bobila, 36, was walking in Barangay Abangan Sur in Marilao, when unidentified men fired at him Thursday.

The assailants left a piece of cardboard identifying the fatality as a drug pusher.

Jinwel Legaspi, alias Zapra, was slain in an alleged shootout with police during a sting in Barangay Caingin in Bocaue.

Legaspi’s partner Jean Garcia was arrested.

       Seven sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P175,000, drug paraphernalia, P1,000 in cash and a .38-caliber revolver were recovered from the suspects, police said.

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

In Ilocos Sur, Romnick Arce was in front of a convenience store along Liberation boulevard in Barangay 3, Vigan City when motorcycle-riding men shot him. He ws wounded.

       The victim according to the police was on the barangay drug watchlist and surrendered under Oplan Tokhang. He is confined in hospital.

Epifanio Cruz was killed in a sting in Barangay Minuyan, Norzagaray, Bulacan on Nov. 4. His alleged cohort identified as Rosemarie Perez was arrested.

       Police said a Cal. 38 revolver, a 9mm pistol, two sachets of shabu and marked money were recovered from the fatality, who was on the barangay drug watchlist.

Former police officer Joel Nery, Mario España and Hannibal Medrano Sr. were arrested during raids on their houses in Agno, Pangasinan on Nov. 4.

The raids were based on warrants issued by a local court.

Police said Nery was a “high-value” drug target.

Also on Nov. 4, Elizalde Rebolledo, 49, was collared for selling shabu worth P6,000 to a police who posed as a buyer in Barangay 10, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Rebolledo was ranked ninth on the city’s drug watchlist, said Supt. Edwin Balles, Laoag City police chief.

       In Aparri, Cagayan, 16 sachets of shabu were allegedly recovered from Badoy Mendoza, 40, during a raid on his house while tricycle driver Pepito Tannu, 21, yielded four sachets of shabu during an anti-drug operation.

Almer Gaffud, 40, a self-confessed drug pusher, and his cousin Anthony, 37, were arrested during a pot session at a public elementary school in Barangay San Fabian in Echague, Isabela Monday morning

Barangay captain Edwin Busto was shot dead Nov. 5 by motorcycle-riding assailants in Aringay, La Union.

Busto, said to be on the drug list of the police, was on his way to join the village watchmen when he was killed in Barangay San Simon West. He was declared dead on arrival at the La Union Medical Center.

In Bulacan, police recovered plastic sachets said to contain shabu and marked money from four arrested drug suspects, identified as  Jeffry Baltazar of Bocaue,  Xavier San Juan of Baliuag,  Regie Rees of Baliuag and Vicente Aguinaldo of Hagonoy.

The four had surrendered to authorities during the conduct of Oplan Tokhang in their villages.

        In Pangasinan, police arrested Joana Marie Malicdem, who allegedly ranked third on the drug list of Bugallon police.

Authorities recovered two plastic sachets said to contain shabu and P600 marked money from Malicdem following a sting in Barangay Salomangque Sur. –Ric Sapnu, Eva Visperas, Raymund Catindig ,  Jun Elias