Village chief, 6 other drug suspects slain

MANILA, Philippines - A barangay chairman and six other suspected drug pushers were killed in separate incidents across the country on Thursday. 

Richard Felipe, alias Balat, a resident of Barangay Batasan Matanda, San Miguel, and Jeffrey Tabianan of San Vicente, Paombong in Bulacan drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents, police said. 

Roberto Fuentes, chairman of Barangay Saray in Iligan City, was driving a multicab when motorcycle-riding men fired at him along the national highway in Barangay Tibanga.

Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, Northern Mindanao police director, said Fuentes was a “high-value” drug suspect. “He initiated anti-drug operations to show authorities that he was against illegal drugs,” Gonda said.

In Butuan, Reynaldo Abordo, 36, reportedly shot it out with police operatives who tried to arrest him after a certain Johnny Calawigan, who was nabbed in a sting, pointed to him as their supplier of shabu.

Police recovered packs of shabu with an estimated street value of P11.8 million, four caliber .45 pistols, drug paraphernalia, weighing scales, cash and mobile phones containing the names of shabu buyers from the vehicle of Abordo, which was parked along Kilometer 6 in Barangay Libertad.

Kalid Dimalutang, a suspected member of a syndicate involved in illegal drugs and contract killings, fired at anti-drug operatives in Barangay Datu Esmael, Dasmariñas, Cavite.

A certain Rey and his unidentified companion drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents in Sitio Pias, Barangay Duale, Limay, Bataan. Senior Superintendent Benjamin Silo, Bataan police director, said the fatalities were high-value drug pushers who operated in Orion town.