Bulacan drug war: 21 slain in overnight stings

MANILA, Philippines - At least 21 suspected drug personalities were killed in a series of police operations in Bulacan from 7 p.m. on Monday until 7 a.m. yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr., acting Bulacan police director, said 64 others were arrested in the operations, which coincided with the 439th anniversary of the province yesterday.

Caramat said the fatalities, who were known only by their aliases, engaged police operatives in shootouts.

Egoy and Tom were slain in Marilao, Enan and Justin in Obando, Berth in Pulilan, Alvin in Balagtas, Chris in San Miguel, Jerome in Plaridel, Yayot and his unidentified companion in Guiguinto, Willy and Jeffrey in Malolos, Elias and Eugene in San Jose del Monte, Macoy in Sta. Maria, Pugeng Manyak in Baliwag and Allan Tattoo, Arnold and an unidentified man in Norzagaray. Two unidentified men were slain at a police checkpoint.

Caramat said 21 guns – 17 caliber .38 revolvers, two improvised shotguns, a 9mm pistol and a .32-caliber pistol – as well as 100.25 grams of suspected shabu were recovered from the fatalities.

Nothing suspicious

Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman, said there is nothing suspicious in the operations.

“If there were 22 or 25 operations, it’s normal. If a single operation resulted in that many deaths, that is where there will be questions. This only shows that the Bulacan police is doing its part in the drug war,” Carlos said.

He said Camp Crame would still review the report of the Bulacan police to determine the kind of operations conducted. He said the Internal Affairs Service would look into incidents where there are deaths. “This is automatic,” Carlos said.

Killings alarm CHR

Malacañang has yet to issue a statement, but the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expressed alarm over the number of deaths.

“That is such disturbing news, if true. I am sure our regional offices will look into these cases,” Gwen Pimentel-Gana, CHR task force on extrajudicial killings, said.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said the probe does not diminish the commission’s support to the campaign against illegal drugs. “While we support the anti-drug campaign, we encourage the PNP to adhere to the law,” she said.

9 others killed 

Meanwhile, six more drug suspects were killed in police operations and three others gunned down by suspected vigilantes in other parts of Luzon on Monday.

Ruel Villalobos, 36, reportedly shot it out with police operatives serving warrants of arrest for illegal drugs at his house in Barangay Guinbanwahan, Balud, Masbate.

Villalobos was the alleged leader of the Villalobos syndicate, which is involved in robbery, extortion, contract killing and illegal drugs in Balud and nearby towns.

Hasim Cali, a resident of Angeles, Pampanga, Asnali Datu of Quezon City and a man who has yet to be identified allegedly drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to policemen who posed as buyers in Barangay Tupang, Alcala, Cagayan.

“High-value” drug suspect Leandro Cabungcal, alias Aron, pulled out his gun and shot policemen serving a search warrant at his residence in Barangay Pook, Balayan, Batangas.

Drug surrenderee Omar Duque, 31, was gathering vegetables in his backyard in Barangay Aurora East, Diffun, Quirino when a man who alighted from a sport utility vehicle opened fire.

Farmer Julito Matalang Jr., 29, another drug surrenderee, was towing a harvester along a feeder road in Barangay Dagupan in Tuao, Cagayan when a man wearing a mask alighted from a Starex van and shot him. Witnesses said the victim managed to run, but the gunman followed and finished him off.

In Laguna, an alias Gugo was shot by an unidentified man in Barangay Burol, Calamba City. – Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ric Sapnu, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Raymund Catindig, Francis Elevado, Ed Amoroso, Janvic Mateo, Christina Mendez