5 dead in Manila drug bust

MANILA, Philippines - At least five drug suspects were killed in a drug bust that reportedly led to a shootout at a shantytown in Port Area, Manila yesterday morning.

Three of the slain suspects were identified as Noarin Basilio Jr., 39; Mamatanto Pedro, 24, and Suharto Macalilay, estimated to be between 20 and 25 years old, said Senior Police Officer 2 Jonathan Bautista.

Police officers from the Manila Police District Station 5 staged the operation to catch a pusher identified only as “Ronnie” at the corner of 11th and 12th streets in Vargas Compound, Barangay 650 at around 9:20 a.m., he said.

Sensing the presence of police officers, the suspects ran toward a shanty. The lawmen gave chase and a shootout reportedly occurred. 

Three of the suspects were killed outside the shanty while two others died on the shanty’s second floor.

Probers recovered two caliber .38 and a Magnum .357 revolver, several sachets of shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia at the crime scene. 

Police officers also arrested at least 78 persons as they raided the shantytown.

Anti-drug kagawad killed

Also in Manila, barangay councilman Enrique Mangayon was shot dead by four assailants who barged into his home in Pandacan Wednesday morning and introduced themselves as police officers. 

Mangayon, a kagawad of Barangay 868, managed to shove his wife away to keep her from harm before the assailants shot him repeatedly at around 4 a.m.

One of the assailants told the victim’s relatives they were just “commissioned” to do the job.

Mangayon’s daughter, Rose Ann, said they do not know any policeman who harbors a grudge against her father, but stressed that he was active in the government’s drive against illegal drugs.

In Caloocan City, Jacob Rafanan, a former official of Barangay 180 was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle as he was standing in front of a computer shop along Little Baguio in Miramonte Heights at around 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Three hours later, Delfin Lodor, 36, was standing underneath a waiting shed along Sampaguita street in Barangay 185 when two men arrived on a motorcycle shortly before 11 p.m.

The two men, who wore masks, shot Lodor then fled after making sure the victim was dead.

Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza, city police chief investigator, said there were reports that both victims were involved in the illegal drug trade in their neighborhoods.   

Body found 

Meanwhile, the body of a man stuffed in a sack was found along Tanigue street in North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS), Navotas City at around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday – the second corpse found in two consecutive days.

Police described the victim as between 40 and 45 years old, around 5’1” tall, and with a tattoo of the name “Bukoy” on his left shoulder. His head was wrapped with packaging tape.

On Tuesday, the body of a man was found along Kanduli street, also in NBBS, at around 4 a.m.

The victim’s hands were tied behind his back and he had been repeatedly shot.

Three sachets of shabu were reportedly found in one of the victim’s pockets.