51 killed, 299 nabbed, 8700 surrender in Cordi drug war

Baguio City Hall employee decapitated 

BAGUIO CITY – The decapitated body of a city hall employee who was found here Thursday morning brought to 51 the number of persons recently killed in Cordillera in relation to government’s all-out war against illegal drugs.

This, even as 8,700 surrendered, 299 arrested and 16 drug personalities arrested by police in the region last week following massive police anti-illegal drugs operations.

Police separately arrested nine individuals in the act of committing illegal drug activities.

Baguio decapitation 

In Baguio, the headless body of Alfred Sabado Juquina, 49, a driver of the city environment and parks management office, was found by relatives in his room on the third floor of a building in Barangay Quezon Hill Thursday morning.

He was believed killed Wednesday afternoon.

Police reports said Juquiana could have died over 24 hours prior to being discovered by relatives who traveled to the city for a visit.

Juquiana lives alone and has been absent from work for two days.

Police said the victim was stabbed several times on his chest aside from his head that was missing while the body was found in sitting position.

Police allegedly found two sachets of shabu in one of the tables inside the victim’s room.

Police said they have yet to confirm whether the victim is included in the drug watch list.

Relatives denied the victim was using illegal drugs or involved in the trade.

A head found in a grocery bag dumped in a vacant lot in Barangay Castillo in Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya was believed to belong to Juquina.

Chief Insp. Orlando Tacio, Kayapa police chief, said a piece of cardboard identifying the owner of the head as a drug pusher was attached to the grocery bag. 

Baguio police later recovered the head of the victim in Nueva Vizcaya.

Authorities said the head was earlier in a funeral home in Aritao, which was identified by the mother of the victim.

Police are investigating motive behind the murder.

Police also captured Michael Bulataoy Villoria, Jocelyn Eduarte Vergara, both residing at Hamada Subdivision, Baguio City and Raymund Basanes Domingo residing at Lourdes Subdivision Extension, Baguio City.

Al Denver Wal Sayan, listed in the priority target drug personalities of the Baguio City Police Office and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, was collared in Adiwang Road, Dontogan by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Emanuel Rasing Cacho of the Regional Trial Court Branch 3 in the city in violation of RA 9165 known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, October 5.

Sales executive John Andrei Corpuz Malecdan and a resident of Apugan Poliwes, was also nabbed at Harrison Road.

Arrested in a buy bust operation were Jeggs Richie Panlasigui, John Paul Pabula, John Paul Corpuz, Carlo Layugan and Evelyn Balisi, all residents of Cagayan and Claver Aplod from Tabuk, Kalinga.

They were caught in the act afternoon of Oct. 9 of having drug trade at Sitio Pakak, Agbannawag, Tabuk City, Kalinga.

In Abra, authorities also nabbed Danny Beljamin Babida, Joseph Barbon Alagao and Jimmy Bisquerra Barreras.

The four, who were reported to be security guards of Bangued were arrested while having shabu session at the 2nd floor of Bangued Public Market last week.

Also caught were Benigno Peligman Bulagsay and Winnie Witawit Yatoyat in Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet.