Drug war: Death toll hits 275 in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines - At least 275 suspected drug pushers and users have been “neutralized” in Metro Manila since President Duterte declared war against illegal drugs on July 1.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Oscar Albayalde said yesterday 3,516 drug pushers and users were arrested while 40,223 others surrendered, with majority agreeing to undergo rehabilitation.

NCRPO records from July 1 to Aug. 28 showed that the Manila Police District (MPD) under Senior Superintendent Jigs Coronel topped the list with 105 slain drug suspects; Quezon City Police District, 59; Northern Police District, 53; Southern Police District, 35, and Eastern Police District, 15.

The NCRPO said majority of the drug suspects were killed in shootouts with police officers implementing the Oplan Double Barrel of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

Oplan Double Barrel involves arresting “high-value” targets and street-level pushers.

Duterte has given the PNP six months to rid the country of illegal drugs and Albayalde said the NCRPO is right on target.

“So far, I’m satisfied with the performance of our 38 chiefs of police in the war against illegal drugs, except for two who are lagging behind,” said Albayalde.

The NCRPO chief has warned the two officials to “shape up or be shipped out” as a committee headed by Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana, NCRPO deputy chief for operation, is evaluating their performance in the war against illegal drugs.

Albayalde warned that there would be no sacred cows in their bid to rid the metropolis of illegal drugs. He said they are coordinating with high-end bars in Taguig City and posh subdivisions to stage drug raids in these areas.

Manila cops kill 8 in operations

The NCRPO has yet to include in its list eight drug suspects who were killed in a series of operations in Tondo, San Andres Bukid and Quiapo in Manila before dawn yesterday.

MPD Station 7 police officers raided a suspected drug den along Interior 2, Pilar street at around 1:30 a.m. and encountered Alexander Cuyugan, 34, and Jeje Reyes, 35.

The two men were killed in a reported shootout, with Reyes lying on the stairs with a .38 caliber revolver in his hands and Cuyugan in one of the rooms still clutching a handgun, police said.

Police officers recovered 10 sachets of shabu, two handguns and drug paraphernalia.

An hour later, MPD Station 6 police officers killed Ryan Eder, alias “Buwaya,” in a drug bust along Estrada street in San Andres Bukid.

Eder reportedly drew a gun and tried to shoot the undercover police officer.

Probers said they recovered a .38 caliber revolver, five spent 9mm shells, seven sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

A team of police officers from the Plaza Miranda and Barbosa police community precincts and the MPD Station 3 anti-drug unit raided a drug den in Quiapo shortly before 7 a.m.

Prior to the raid, an undercover police officer successfully bought shabu for P1,500 in a shanty along Cambodia Alley off Arlegui street from Massim Taruyan.

Taruyan, 56, is in the police watch list and was the subject of the operation. The area is also being monitored as a haven for drug pushers, mostly persons from Mindanao.

Taruyan and four others were killed in a reported shootout during the raid. Two of the fatalities were identified as Renato Diaz and Ronald Acebedo while two others remain unidentified.

Police Officer 3 Marlon San Pedro, homicide investigator, said two .22 caliber pistols, a .38 caliber revolver, a .45 caliber pistol, four sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the suspects.