Barangay kagawad slain in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Investigators are looking into illegal drugs as the possible motive in the killing of a barangay kagawad in San Andres Bukid, Manila on Monday afternoon.

Roberto Cudal, 52, councilman of Barangay 775, was sitting in front of the barangay hall along with Romeo Nicolas, 59, and two others at the corner of Onyx and Sagrada Familia streets when four men on  two motorcycles arrived.

Witnesses told police that the back riders alighted from the motorcycles and fired at Cudal.

Cudal died at the Ospital ng Maynila yesterday.

Nicolas also suffered gunshots to the body and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

An eight-year-old boy, who was buying something at a store along Sagrada Familia street, died after being hit by a stray bullet, police said.

Capt. Henry Navarro, homicide chief of the Manila Police District, said at least 10 spent .45-caliber shells were recovered at the scene.

Navarro said they were validating information that Cudal was tagged as a high-value target after he was allegedly included in the drug watchlist.

Police did not rule out the possibility that the suspects could be members of a drug ring who had an ax to grind against Cudal.

In Quezon City, five suspected drug pushers were arrested during separate stings in the past two days.

Ronald Andrew Sune, 36, allegedly sold five grams of shabu worth P34,000 to a policeman who posed as a buyer in Barangay Obrero.

Another anti-narcotics operation led to the arrest of 31-year-old Eduardo Santos in Barangay Apolonio Samson.

Police said they confiscated at least two grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P13,600 from Santos.

Three other drug suspects were collared in Barangay Unang Sigaw. They were Mary Grace Francisco, 44; Adrian Pangilinan, 30, and Marvin Tecson, 36.