2 ‘narco-cops’ slain in stings

MANILA, Philippines - Two police officers, suspected of being drug pushers, were killed in separate busts in Manila and Taguig City since Wednesday night.

Police Officer 3 Leonilo Quiambao, 37, was killed along with two others – Bryan Oliveros, 40, and Edwin Reyes, 46 – in a sting at a house in GHQ Village in Barangay Katuparan, Taguig City at past 2 a.m. yesterday.

They reportedly shot it out with undercover police officers. Quiambao was assigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit of the National Capital Region Police Office.

During the shootout, one of the lawmen who staged the sting, Police Officer 2 Alvin Taduyo, was hit in the left foot. He was brought to the St. Luke’s Medical Center at the Bonifacio Global City for treatment. 

In Manila, Antonio Capuli, 45, who had been absent without leave from the Bataan police, was killed in an encounter with police officers from the Manila Police District (MPD) anti-illegal drug unit in his house on Cristobal street in Sampaloc at past 10 p.m., said Senior Police Officer 4 Glenzor Vallejo.

Vallejo said Capuli reportedly pulled out his gun when he realized he was dealing with an undercover lawman.

Drug-recycling cops named

Meanwhile, eight Quezon City Police District police officers were named as recyclers of illegal drugs seized in police operations in a note left on the body of an unidentified man yesterday, a day after 88 police officers under the QCPD’s anti-illegal drug units were sacked over their alleged links to the illegal drug trade.

Senior Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD chief, confirmed that the eight police officers named in the note were indeed with the QCPD.

The note, which identified the victim as a drug pusher working for the eight police officers, was placed on top of the body dumped along Central Avenue in Barangay Culiat. The victim was hogtied, his face and body wrapped in duct tape and a length of wire looped around hi neck, police said.

The note read, “Wag tularan drug pusher ako ng mga pulis na nagrerecycle ng shabu, Capt. Damaso Gayatao, alias Father, PO3 Jojo Torrefiel, PO2 Max Tarage, PO2 Mike Narag, PO2 Christian Barredo, PO2 Richard Galvez, PO2 Gary Gaerlan, PO1 Balistog at Tata Glen.”

Gayatao, Torrefiel and Tarage are detailed at the District Public Safety Battalion while the rest are with the Anonas police station, Eleazar said. Tata Glen has yet to be identified.

The note has yet to be validated by the police, he said.

Found dead 

The body of Filipino-Chinese Jaime Ong, 40, was found at the R-10 Bridge in Tondo, Manila at around 1 a.m. yesterday. A message written on a piece of cardboard identified him as a “drug lord (Chinese).”

The victim had a length of wire looped around his neck and stab wounds all over his body.

Suspected drug pusher Jaime Trinidad, 42, was found dead in Guido Uno in Tondo, Manila at around 10 p.m. Wednesday, an hour after four men on two motorcycles picked him up along Lerma street in Maypajo, Caloocan City, the MPD said.

He was talking to a tricycle driver when he was taken.

In Marikina City, a suspected drug pusher identified only as Macmac was found dead along Tanguile street in Barangay Marikina Heights at around 1:30 a.m. yesterday, said Senior Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, Eastern Police District director. 

He added that Macmac, who was shot repeatedly, was reportedly also involved in robbery and car theft.

More killings

Alleged drug pushers Rakman and Mikel were killed in a reported shootout with anti-drug police officers in Barangay 188, Caloocan City shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Police officers recovered a .38 caliber revolver, three sachets of shabu and a sachet of marijuana from the suspects.

Shortly before 2 a.m. yesterday, unidentified assailants shot dead Jessie dela Rosa, 31, in Barangay 173, Caloocan City. Police found four sachets of shabu in his possession. 

In Navotas City, Junjun Tibay and Roman Apita were killed during a police raid on Concord Fishing Corp. at the fish port complex at around 5 a.m. yesterday.

The two men reportedly shot at the police officers who staged the raid.

Senior Superintendent Dante Novicio, city police chief, said they recovered a .45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver, a hand grenade and eight sachets of shabu from the suspects. – Mike Frialde, Rey Galupo, Romina Cabrera, Non Alquitran