4 dead, 6 nabbed in drug war

MANILA, Philippines -  At least four persons were killed and six others were arrested in Metro Manila over the past two days as the government continues its campaign against the illegal drug trade.

In Manila, three people were gunned down in separate incidents on Monday.

King James Nino, 24, was walking with his girlfriend, Princess Topacio, 24, at the corner of Sampaloc and Magsaysay streets at around 4:30 a.m. when a man identified only as JM offered them shabu.

Nino was reported to be a member of the Sputnik jailhouse gang and on the barangay drug watchlist.

Topacio told police she asked Nino to refuse and go home. As she walked away, she heard gunshots.

When she turned around, she saw her boyfriend lying on the ground, dead. The suspect, holding a gun, asked her if she wanted to be shot. He walked away after she begged for her life.

Cyrus Marfil, 33, and Marlon Rapa, 24, were shot by police officers in a drug sting along Oroquieta street in Sta. Cruz Monday night.

In Taguig City, former Army corporal Ronald Alvarez, 38, was walking along Tawi-Tawi street when he was shot dead, allegedly by Alex Mambo.

Alvarez was allegedly a pusher and a high-value target who operated in Taguig and nearby cities. His name is on the Taguig police’s drug watchlist, the Southern Police District said.

In Quezon City, four suspected dealers were arrested since Monday. 

Nashiba Tamano, 18, allegedly tried to smuggle shabu into the Fairview police station at around 7 p.m. Monday. She was caught with three sachets of shabu in her brassiere after police received a tip that a woman would deliver shabu to a relative detained at the station.

Ryan Caguindagan, 23, was arrested in a sting in front of the Fairview Center Mall at around 6 p.m. Two sachets of shabu were seized from him.

Police officers arrested Pablo Vanguardia, 54, after allegedly spotting him and a companion selling drugs to an unidentified buyer in Barangay Tatalon at around 6:30 a.m. Monday.

A sachet of shabu was found in his possession.

Charles Irvin Astrologio, 23, was initially accosted for playing video karera, an illegal gambling game, just before 10 p.m. in Barangay Old Capitol Site. When police officers saw him throw away a sachet of shabu as they approached, they arrested him.

In Pateros, Dionisio Buccat was arrested in a sting at past midnight yesterday after selling a sachet of shabu for P500, the SPD said.

A sachet of shabu and drug paraphernalia were recovered from Buccat.

In Caloocan, drug surrenderee Ronnie Natividad, 27, was caught in a sting along the railroad tracks in Barangay 59 at around 5:30 a.m. Monday.

Natividad said he would usually meet his supplier along the railroad tracks and buy P4,000 worth of shabu, which he claimed can be sold for P8,000.