4 drug suspects killed in stings

MANILA, Philippines - Four drug suspects were slain under Oplan Double Barrel Reloaded in Luzon in the past two days.

Mario Velasquez, 38, and Victor Gregorio, 44, drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents in Barangay Cruz Roja in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija on Monday, police said.

Two guns, five sachets of shabu, a tricycle and a mobile phone were allegedly recovered from the fatalities.

In Isabela, a man who has yet to be identified shot it out with anti-drug operatives in Barangay Magsaysay in Alicia town also on Monday, police said. His companion escaped.

Ricky Estandarte, alias Aka, allegedly shot a police officer who posed as a buyer of shabu in Barangay Ligtong 4 in Rosario, Cavite at around 2 a.m. yesterday.

Estandarte is on the town’s drug watchlist, said Senior Superintendent Arthur Bisnar, Cavite police director.

A caliber .38 revolver, a sachet of shabu and P300 in cash were recovered from the fatality.

Fifteen other drug suspects were arrested in stings in Lipa City, Rosario, Calatagan, San Jose and Agoncillo in Batangas, eight in Bulacan and three in Rizal.

3 found dead

Meanwhile, the decomposing body of a man, which bore a hack wound in the neck and was stuffed in a sack, was found along Tuding Road in Barangay Outlook Drive in Baguio City on Sunday.

In Pangasinan, the bodies of a man and a woman were found floating in Tambac River in Dagupan City, Pangasinan on Monday.

The woman who has yet to be identified was recovered at around 5:40 a.m. and the man identified as jeepney driver Roger Colby at around 3:30 p.m.

Investigations into their deaths are underway.  – Ric Sapnu, Raymund Catindig, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Eva Visperas, Artemio Dumlao, Non Alquitran, Ed Amoroso