2 drug suspects slain

MANILA, Philippines - Two more suspected drug pushers were slain in Cagayan and Bulacan on Friday.

Construction worker Michael Simangan, 27, shot it out with anti-drug operatives in Barangay Cataggaman Pardo in Tuguegarao at around 9:30 p.m., said Superintendent Edward Guzman, city police hief.

Four sachets of shabu, marked money, a cell phone and an improvised gun were allegedly recovered from the fatality. 

Drug surrenderee Jomar Cruz, 23, alias Jomar Tatoo, a resident of  Barangay San Isidro in Paombong town, was found dead along the road in Barangay Poblacion. A piece of cardboard identifying the victim as a drug pusher and motorcycle thief was recovered near his body.

Village chief nabbed

A barangay captain and eight of his alleged cohorts were among 28 drug suspects arrested as the government continued its campaign against illegal drugs in the past two days.

Datumama Bantuan Abdul, chairman of  Barangay Midconding in  General S.K. Pendatun town in Maguindanao, was collared yesterday after a raid on his house yielded sachets of shabu and explosives, said Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police director.

Abdul reportedly used his house as a distribution point of the illegal drugs he sold not only in the town, but also in nearby barangays in President Quirino and Lambayong,  Sultan Kudarat.

 Constante Domingo, who was ranked eighth on the drug watchlist of Quirino, was nabbed in Barangay Pinaripad Norte, Aglipay on Friday.

P.6-M shabu seized

At least 61.1 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P611,000 were allegedly recovered from cell phone technician  Arnel Reyes and his partner Norma Michelle Llacuna in Barangay 2, San Andres, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

Ten other drug suspects were arrested in stings in Guagua, Apalit, Sto. Tomas and San Fernando in Pampanga and San Manuel, Tarlac; two in Barangay Cabasan, Peñablanca, Cagayan and one in Centro Sur, Lal-lo, Cagayan also on Friday.