29 cop chiefs relieved; 4 drug suspects killed

MANILA, Philippines - More police officials have been relieved from their post for failing to meet their anti-drug campaign targets.

Twenty-seven police chiefs and two station commanders in the Bicol region were relieved after an assessment of the Police Regional Officers Placement and Promotion Board, Senior Inspector Malu Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said yesterday.

Calubaquib said among those who were sacked were the chiefs of police of the towns of Jovellar, Rapu-Rapu, Manito and Sto. Domingo and the cities of Legazpi and Tabaco in Albay.

Also relieved were the police chiefs of Capalonga, Paracale, Jose Panganiban,Vinzons and San Vicente towns in Camarines Norte; Precentacion, Bombon, Ocampo and San Jose in Camarines Sur; Baras, Bato and Panganiban in Catanduanes and Palanas, Placer, San Fernando and San Jacinto in Masbate.

The police chiefs of Bulusan, Matnog, Prieto Diaz and Sta. Magdalena towns in Sorsogon were relieved along with the commanders of Stations 1 and 3 in Naga City.

Calubaquib said the police officials would undergo a refresher course for 45 days.

Meanwhile, four drug suspects, including a woman, were killed in separate incidents in Luzon on Friday.

Karen Joy Beltran, a resident of Barangay Libertad in Abulug, Cagayan, was at a beauty salon when an unidentified man entered and shot her three times, said Senior Inspector Marlon Serna, town police chief.

Serna said Beltran surrendered under Oplan Tokhang recently.

In Ilocos Sur, Antonio Serrano, 36, was driving his car in Barangay Namruangan in Cabugao town when motorcycle-riding men opened fire. ?Serrano was pronounced dead on arrival at the Pira Hospital. ?

Chief Inspector Greg Guerrero, Ilocos Sur police spokesman, said Serrano was a newly identified drug personality. ?

In Bulacan, Honorio Juliano, alias Tebat, was killed in a drug sting in Barangay Palapat in Hagonoy town.

Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat, Bulacan police acting director, said Juliano drew his gun when he sensed that he was dealing with a police who posed as a buyer.

Caramat said a .38-caliber revolver, four sachets of shabu and a motorcycle were recovered from the suspect.

In Sta. Maria, a man identified only as Entong was found dead on a bridge in Barangay Mag-asawang Sapa.

Village watchmen said they heard gunshots before they found the body, which bore two gunshot wounds and a placard identifying him as a pusher.

Drugs, guns

In Isabela, police said the raid on the house of a son of Jones, Isabela Vice Mayor Evelyn Raspado yesterday yielded shabu, several guns as well as ammunition and drug paraphernalia.

Glenford Raspado, who was on the drug watchlist of the Jones police, surrendered recently.

The vice mayor admitted her son is a drug user, but not a pusher.  

Councilor nabbed

In Ilocos Norte, a councilor, who was arrested in a drug sting two weeks ago, was detained after he was discharged from a hospital.

Al Aguibay was turned over to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Laoag City on Thursday as ordered by Regional Trial Court Judge Francisco Quilala, said Chief Inspector Dexter Corpuz, Ilocos Norte police spokesman.

Aguibay was confined at the Governor Roque Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital for hypertension following his arrest. – Francis Elevado, Ric Sapnu, Raymund Catindig, Ben Serrano