8 robbery, drug suspects shot dead

MANILA, Philippines — Four suspected drug personalities and four alleged robbers were killed in separate incidents in Luzon in the past two days.

Ruel Kuan, 50, and Jonathan Romano, 38, drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to policemen who posed as buyers in Barangay Cotta, Lucena, Quezon on Monday,  according to Senior Superintendent Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director. 

Armamento said 17 other persons were arrested during a pot session and six in raids in the same barangay.

Around 35 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of 115,000, eight sachets of dried marijuana leaves worth P4,000, drug paraphernalia, guns and ammunition were reportedly recovered from the suspects. 

Small-town lottery employee Nestor Ponce, 42, was driving his motorcycle on his way home when he was shot by unidentified men on another motorbike in Barangay Zone 5, Bantay, Ilocos Sur. 

Police said Ponce surrendered under Oplan Tokhang in 2016.

In Batangas, a police officer who posed as a buyer of shabu was “negotiating” with a drug dealer in Barangay Caloocan, Balayan when an alias Pampers arrived and pulled out a handgun. Pampers died at the scene.

The target of the operation, Michelle Englis, 32, was arrested. Another suspect identified as Ronaldo Gutierrez escaped.

Oscar Caisip and Rovie Daduya were killed in an alleged shootout with police officers who responded when they heard gunshots in Barangay Sto. Domingo, Cainta, Rizal also on Monday.

The suspects reportedly blocked the path of butcher George Domantay, tried to get his motorcycle and shot him when he resisted. Domantay was declared dead on arrival in a hospital.

Two men who have yet to be identified were killed in a reported encounter with police officers in Barangay Lamesa, Calamba, Laguna yesterday.  Police conducted pursuit operations after Alvin Ambrocio, 30, a  supervisor of a gasoline station, said he was robbed along the bypass road.

Police said they recovered the guns used by the slain suspects.

Meanwhile, in Bulacan, Delfin San Pablo, chairman of Barangay Malhacan in Meycauayan, and village watchmen Ferdinand Ilaosa and Jimmy Garcia were arrested in a drug sting on Monday.

Three sachets of shabu with an estimated value of P75,000, a .45-caliber pistol and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the suspects, police said.

Kids as drug couriers

In Palawan, a man was arrested for allegedly using his three daughters aged 18, 13 and 12 as drug couriers.

Superintendent Imelda Tolentino, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) police director, said the suspect was apprehended during a sting in Barangay Sagrada, Busuanga when  he asked his daughters to hand a sachet of shabu to a police officer who posed as a buyer.

Around 7.5 grams of shabu worth P37,700 and P2,000 in marked money were reportedly recovered from the suspect.

The children were placed under the custody of social welfare officers.  – Ed Amoroso, Emmanuel Tupas, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Michelle Zoleta, Raymund Catindig, Ramon Efren Lazaro