8 more drug suspects killed

MANILA, Philippines - Eight more drug suspects were killed in separate incidents in Luzon on Wednesday.

Five were shot dead by unidentified men and three slain in alleged shootouts with anti-drug operatives.

Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director, said three men known only for their aliases of Ben, Zaldy and Moises were killed in stings in Malolos City and the towns of Bocaue and Sta. Maria.

Caramat said the suspects yielded a 9mm pistol, two .38-caliber revolvers, 12 sachets of suspected shabu and a sachet of marijuana.

Domingo Calinaoan and Joselito Najera reportedly shot it out with police in Dagupan City and San Fabian in Pangasinan, respectively.

In Isabela, Jayson Matic, 35, was shot dead in front of his house in Barangay Minanga.

Chief Inspector Arnold Bulan, San Mariano police chief, said Matic was among those who surrendered last week under Oplan Tokhang.

In Cagayan, Kio de Vera was helping his partner do the laundry in their backyard in Barangay Sta. Cruz when he was gunned down.

Paul Simon Lee, 47, was shot while parking his jeepney along Navarro street in Aurora Hill in Baguio City.

Police said the slain suspects were on their drug watchlist.

Ex-judge’s son

 In Kalinga, a son of a former judge and his three companions were arrested at a checkpoint in Barangay Ipil in Tabuk City on Wednesday.

John Camil Irving Lammawin, who is also a nephew of former Tabuk City mayor Camilo Lammawin, had reportedly engaged in an illegal drug deal.

Police also held trader Jan Patrick Jayme, 24;  Manuel Gallamoy, 27, and Johncol Damian, 23.

Also on Wednesday, six other persons were arrested and at least 20 sachets of suspected shabu were recovered in separate anti-drug operations in Crystal Cave in Baguio City.

‘Hulidap’ cops

Meanwhile, four police officers were relieved yesterday over a “hulidap” incident in Calamba, Laguna last month.

Senior Inspector Rogelio Batara, Police Officers 3 Ferdinand Modina and Lester Aguado and PO2 Rafael Espadero were disarmed and restricted to headquarters pending an investigation into the case, reports from the Northern Police District showed.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa ordered a probe after a businessman complained that he was a victim of extortion.

The businessman said around 10 men in civilian clothes who introduced themselves as agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency raided his house at around 6 p.m. on June 15.

He said he saw one of the policemen took P58,000 from his pants then took his wife’s bag where the alleged shabu was found.

He claimed the police officers forced him to ride a black KIA car and brought him to a police station in Caloocan City, where he was asked to pay P100,000 for his release.

The businessman said he had wanted to keep quiet about the incident, but the suspects asked money from him again. – With Eva Visperas, Artemio Dumlao, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Rey Galupo