13 more killed in Luzon drug war

MANILA, Philippines – Thirteen more drug suspects were killed in separate incidents in Luzon yesterday and on Thursday.

Four of those slain were from Baguio City.

Joel Nider, 35, was gunned down by unidentified men in front of his restaurant in Barangay Sto. Niño at around 3:29 p.m. while Marvin Lazarte, a jeepney barker, was shot along Magsaysay Avenue.

Nash Palomique and his companion, who has yet to be identified, were killed in an alleged shootout with police along Labsan street.

Senior Superintendent George Daske, Baguio police director, said Nider, who was previously arrested for illegal drugs, could have been killed by members of his own drug ring.

In Isabela, Vivencio Gamiao, 40, was gunned down while driving his motorcycle along the highway in Barangay Cabaruan in Cauayan City.

Two other suspects were found dead in Pangasinan.Their bodies, which bore  placards identifying them as drug pushers, were dumped in Barangay Babasit in Manaoag town. A sachet of suspected shabu was found  near one of the body.

In Bicol, brothers Joel and Salvador Sadia were reportedly killed in a shootout with anti-drug operatives during a sting in Barangay Calzada in Ligao City, Albay.

The suspects allegedly yielded 14 sachets of suspected shabu, a .45-caliber pistol and ammunition, drug paraphernalia and an undetermined amount of cash.

Also killed in alleged encounters with police in Pili, Camarines Sur and Tiaong, Quezon, respectively, were Melvin de la Torres, 30, and Ruel Dizon.

Senior Inspector Malou Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said 13 drug suspects have been killed in the region since July 1.

In Bulacan, Ariel de la Cruz and Florentino Santos, 44, were slain in separate anti-drug operations in Guiguinto town.

A total of 56 drug personalities have been killed in Bulacan, said Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director.

Caramat said 368 others were arrested while 11,090 surrendered under Oplan Tokhang.

Meanwhile, in Butuan City, a self-confessed drug user who recently surrendered was found dead at his home in Purok 1, Barangay Oro.

The body of Cristituto  Uyua, 49, bore a hack wound in the neck.

Uyua could have been killed by his fellow drug users for fear that he would report them to the police, according to his relatives.

Killing each other

Senior Superintendent Ronald Oliver Lee, Pangasinan police officer-in-charge, said drug personalities themselves could be killing each other.

“There is purging (among drug suspects),” Lee said.

He said an investigation into whether vigilante groups are behind the killings of drug suspects in the province is underway.

He noted that the killings of 21 of 34 drug suspects in Pangasinan were perpetrated by unidentified men.

Lee said 6,230 other drug personalities have surrendered in the province.

4Ps beneficiaries

As this developed, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps who are involved in illegal drugs will be delisted.

Lana Clark Emerson, Camarines Norte grievance officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, issued the warning as the number of suspected drug pushers and users who surrendered in the province continues to increase.

Reports reaching Camp Wenceslao Vinzons Sr. showed that at least 4,058 have surrendered in Camarines Norte.

Sources said most of those who surrendered  are small-scale miners and their children. – Artemio Dumlao, Ric Sapnu, Francis Elevado, Eva Visperas, Raymund Catindig, Michelle Zoleta, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Celso Amo, Ben Serrano