More suspects slain in north Central Luzon ‘drug war

MORE ILLEGAL DRUG suspects were killed by government lawmen and suspected vigilantes in Northern and Central Luzon last week.

           Albert Naidas, chairman of Barangay Capangdanan in Pinili, Ilocos Norte, was driving his motorcycle on his way home when unidentified motorcycle-riding men fired at him on Tuesday.

          Twenty-three bullet shells for caliber .45 and 9mm pistols were recovered at the scene. The Pinili police said Naidas was a “high-value” drug pusher.

Pangasinan

Jerome Mariano, 30, was having a drinking spree in Barangay Quesban in Calasiao, Pangasinan when suspected vigilantes wearing ski masks opened fire. Mariano was declared dead on arrival in a hospital. He was a drug user according to his relatives.

            Nigerian citizens Austine Chinedo Uzor, 28, and Martin Arinze Kabe, 34, were collared during a pot session at an apartment in Barangay Tapuac in Dagupan City on Tuesday.

Bulacan

Rolando Lacson, 52, a resident of Barangay Banga 2nd in Plaridel, Bulacan, was found dead along the road in Barangay Sto. Niño in Paombong on Wednesday night. 

              Village watchmen were patrolling the area when they found the victim’s body, which bore a sachet of shabu.

Lacson was supposed to meet an unidentified person in Paombong, according to his relatives.

Five were slain in anti-drug operations in Bulacan earlier on Monday. 

             Four of the fatalities were identified as Gilbert Aradanas, a resident of Barangay Lambakin in Marilao; Rod Mendoza and Paul Bergonio of Barangay Poblacion in Norzagaray and Victor del Rosario, alias Toti, of Barangay Sta. Clara. They allegedly drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to policemen who posed as buyers.

Police said the fatalities yielded guns, ammunition, sachets of shabu and marked money.

            Two unidentified motorcycle-riding men reportedly refused to pull over at a checkpoint in Barangay Caingin in San Rafael town and traded shots with policemen.

           One of the suspects died while his companion escaped.

            A caliber .38 revolver was allegedly recovered from the fatality.

            Reynaldo Balingit, a resident of Barangay Catmon in Malolos City, Bulacan, and Jaime Guipa of Barangay Gaya-Gaya in San Jose Del Monte City were killed in stings Nov. 13.

            Balingit’s partner Lovely Calong was arrested after a brief chase.

            The fatalities drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents, said Supt. Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director.

            Caramat said Guipa was ranked fifth on the watchlist of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in San Juan, Abra.

             He said Balingit and his partner were on the barangay watchlist.

             Jade Flores, a resident of Barangay Sta. Clara in Sta. Maria, Bulacan; Jim Aryann, of Sto. Cristo in San Jose del Monte City, and an alias Utoy of Cacarong Bata in Pandi were killed in stings on Monday.

              Their companion, identified as Ernesto Sta. Maria, 47, of Barangay Patubig in San Rafael town, was wounded.

Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director, said the suspects drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents.

              Gilbert Aradanas, alias Dondon; Rod Mendoza, alias Diko; Paul Bergonio, alias Jepet, and a man who has yet to be identified were killed in simultaneous police operations also in Bulacan on Monday.

               Caramat said 142 sachets of shabu, 16 guns as well as ammunition, drug paraphernalia and marked money were recovered from the fatalities.

Baguio City

Limbona Manangaran, 30, alias Usman, was collared for selling shabu worth P7,000 to an undercover agent in Lower Magsaysay in Baguio City on Nov. 11.Police said the suspect is a member of a drug ring operating in the city.

Isabela

Leonardo Oliveros was on his way home after bringing his child to a school in Barangay Tuguegarao in Echague, Isabela Tuesday when unidentified men in a sport utility vehicle opened fire.A piece of cardboard identifying the fatality as a drug pusher was found near his body.

          Police said Oliveros was arrested last year after a raid on his house yielded 14 sachets of shabu with an estimated value of P100,000, a hand grenade and ammunition for various firearms. 

Cagayan

In Cagayan, Bryan Tamayo died in an alleged shootout with police in Barangay Tallungan in Aparri on Monday.

Chief Insp. Pepito Mendoza Jr., Aparri police chief, said Mendoza was on their drug watchlist, but did not respond to their invitation under Oplan Tokhang. The fatality was also a suspect in the ambush attempt on Mendoza.

Dagupan City

Arnold Malicdem Jr., 30, alias Ali, died while his brother Ogie, 27, was wounded in a gun attack by suspected vigilantes in Sitio Taculit, Barangay Angio in San Fabian, Pangasinan on Nov. 13. The siblings were about to leave a cockpit when the gunmen blocked their path and opened fire. 

              Malicdem was declared dead on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City, where Ogie remains confined. Police said the fatality was a “high-value” drug pusher.

La Union

Ronnie Casem, who was on the police drug watchlist, was gunned down in Barangay Pao in Balaoan, La Union at around 5 p.m. on Nov. 13. Investigation showed the victim was driving his motorcycle when he was shot.

Isabela

Meanwhile, village councilman Zaldy Estavillo, 56, and Alexander Omo, 34, an employee of the National Irrigation Administration, were among 20 persons who surrendered under Oplan Tokhang in Isabela on Sunday.

              Farm manager Roberto Reyes, 60, a resident of Alicia town, was the oldest among the drug surrenderees.

Carlo Balao, 29, was collared after selling shabu to undercover agents in Barangay Alibagu in Ilagan City, Isabela on Wednesday. Police said Balao was under surveillance for several days.

- Ramon Efren Lazaro, Raymund Catindig, Eva Visperas