Boy, 16, companion slain in Laguna drug ops

MANILA, Philippines — A 16-year-old boy and his companion were killed in an anti-drug operation in Biñan, Laguna on Wednesday.

Citing a report of the Laguna police, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar confirmed the death of Johndy Maglinte, adding that the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) is investigating the incident.

The relatives of Maglinte took to social media to condemn the killing, saying the teenager was handcuffed and pleading for his life when he was shot.

Eleazar said probers have yet to confirm if Maglinte was a minor, who was identified in a police report as the assistant of the other fatality, who was previously detained  on drug charges.

“I talked to the provincial director... they are saying that he was not cuffed... The IAS will... investigate,” Eleazar said in an interview over Radyo5. “He was the right-hand man of the other person with an arrest warrant and the target of the operation.”

Eleazar urged witnesses and the relatives of Maglinte to cooperate in the investigation.

“Whether a kid or an adult, they shouldn’t be killed mindlessly. If there are any lapses, we will not condone it,” Eleazar said.

Meanwhile, in Pampanga, Nigerians Kingsly Anaelechi, 37, and Nelson Okafor Jr., 25, and their Filipino cohorts April Wright, 25; Eric Desuyo, 29; Norwin Carpio, 20, and Ralph Joseph Yalung, 25, were arrested in a drug sting in Mabalacat City before midnight on Thursday.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said 30 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P204,000 and 32 grams of marijuana worth P5,600 were recovered from the suspects.