Arrests up in renewed drug war; 1 dead

MANILA, Philippines - More suspected drug personalities have been arrested since Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded was launched this week.

One died in a gun attack perpetrated by suspected vigilantes in Bulacan yesterday.

Glen Mark Deogracia, a resident of Barangay Poblacion in Calumpit town, was standing in front of a school when unidentified men shot him.

Deogracia was initially taken to the Calumpit District Hospital then transferred to the Bulacan Medical Center, where he died while being treated.  

Police said a knife and a cigarette pack containing 21 sachets of shabu were recovered from the victim.

Eleven other suspects were arrested in separate operations in Cavite on Wednesday. They allegedly yielded 1.65 grams of shabu.

In the Negros Island Region,  26 have been collared in drug raids since Monday.

The Dumaguete City police in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency seized a kilo of shabu with an estimated street value of P3.8 million.

Businessman Antonio Ramolete was arrested after a raid on his house in Barangay Poblacion in Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur yesterday. He allegedly yielded four guns, ammunition and three sachets of shabu.

In Pangasinan, 31 sachets of shabu were reportedly seized from carpenter Freddie Abalos, 39, a resident of Barangay Basing in Lingayen, farmer Robert Rosario, Danilo Cabobos and vendor Mario Santos of Agno in Tayug during raids on their houses also yesterday. 

Lito Bulatao, alias Gerap, a newly identified drug personality, and Herminio Muñoz, who is on the drug watchlist, were arrested in Barangay Balite in San Carlos City also in Pangasinan on Wednesday.