19 more drug suspects slain, thousands surrender

MANILA, Philippines - Nineteen more suspected drug pushers were killed in separate incidents over the weekend.

Raiding lawmen killed eight suspected drug dealers in a firefight in Matalam, North Cotabato late Saturday.

North Cotabato police director Senior Supt. Emmanuel Peralta said the policemen were forced to fight back at the suspects, who fired on the raiding team approaching a suspected drug den in Purok Islam.

Police identified the eight slain suspects as siblings Tainko and Haron Mamakan; Bolao Palti, Abudzaid Runas, Tahir Salipuddin, Mustapa Kausi, Mangapan Musa and Joaina Lumantag.

In Quezon province, four people were found dead in Lucena, Sariaya and Tiaong.

Elmer Caro was found dead with several gunshot wounds in a remote area in Barangay San Agustin early yesterday. Police said Caro was bound with a shirt over his head wrapped with packaging tape.

In Sariaya, Alejandro Sante Umbrete was shot dead by unidentified armed men.

On the other hand, Danilo Enopia was killed by unidentified armed men inside his house in Lucena City before noon yesterday.

In another incident early Friday in Lucena, Delson Beringuela, a suspected drug pusher, was killed when he allegedly tried to grab the handgun of a police officer arresting him.

Two more suspected drug pushers were killed in separate incidents in Ilocos Sur and Isabela yesterday.

Rey Arman Castro was shot dead by an unidentified assailant driving a green colored car in Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur while the body of 17-year-old Justin Ortega was discovered lying on a plastic bench inside a beerhouse in ?San Mariano, Isabela.

San Mariano police director Chief Insp. Arnold Bulan said a cardboard sign saying the victim was a pusher and thief was left over Ortega’s body.

In Quezon City, Randy de Guzman was shot dead while allegedly trying to grab the handgun of his police escort.

De Guzman, of Barangay Tatalon, was arrested by the police in a drug sting operation on Friday.

During his arrest, De Guzman claimed an unidentified man simply dropped a plastic packet to him, which was later found to contain dried marijuana leaves.

Police said De Guzman tried to grab the handgun of PO1 Alvin Mexico Daulayan while he was being transported in a police vehicle to the Galas police station.

In Pangasinan, Michael Estonillo was shot dead while trying to shoot it out with arresting lawmen during a drug sting operation in Binalonan late Thursday.

Two more suspects identified as Francis Omillo and Oscar Valdez were shot dead in separate incidents in Laoac and Manaoag.

Omillo was killed during a gunfight with policemen during a drug sting operation last Friday.

Valdez was also killed while shooting it out with lawmen during a drug operation.

Another suspected drug pusher, Aramis Devin Crisostomo was shot dead on Friday in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Acting provincial police director Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr. said Crisostomo tried to shoot it out with policemen who were about to serve him an arrest warrant for anti-illegal drug charges.

Lawmen also seized several kilos of dried marijuana leaves at the suspect’s home in Barangay Bambang.

Police said Crisostomo is the top suspected drug dealer in the province.

Thousands give up

As bodies of suspected drug offenders kept piling up, thousands more self-confessed drug users and dealers are giving up to the authorities.

The police in the Caraga region, comprising the provinces of Agusan and Surigao, reported that more than 7,000 have surrendered.

Some 4,000 others showed up yesterday before Mayor Allan Rellon at the Atrium of the City Hall in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. 

At least 33 people, one of them as young as 12 years old, surrendered in Alfonsolist, Ifugao province on Friday.

Nine suspects, including eight barangay officials, surrendered to the La Union provincial police on Friday.

In the Bicol region, some 300 drug users and 47 drug pushers surrendered.

Most of them had expressed fears that they might end up dead if they did not give up illegal drugs.

Shortly before and after President Duterte assumed office, scores of suspected drug offenders were killed in encounters with lawmen.

Authorities justified the killings, saying the offenders made the fatal choice of fighting it out with the lawmen. – John Unson, Jaime Laude, Celso Amo, Jun Elias, Eva Visperas, Artemio Dumlao, Ben Serrano, Raymund Catindig, Michelle Zoleta, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Robertzon Ramirez, Edith Regalado