MANILA, Philippines - Four men believed to be involved in illegal drugs were killed in separate incidents in Metro Manila in the past two days.
In Manila, police shot dead Jay-Ar Dayto, alias Kulot, and Vincent Corales, 41, during a drug sting along Recto Avenue in Sta. Cruz at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Dayto and Corales were killed after they allegedly opened fire at police, who returned fire.
Anti-narcotics operatives of the Manila Police District Station 3 said they conducted an operation against the two after receiving information that they were allegedly pushing drugs.
Dayto and Corales were rushed to the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center where they were pronounced dead from gunshots to their bodies.
They allegedly yielded two loaded .38-caliber revolvers and eight sachets of shabu.
In Quezon City, a drug suspect known only as Junior was killed by anti-narcotics operatives during a sting along E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue in Barangay Tatalon on Tuesday.
Authorities said Junior was the No. 5 most wanted drug suspect of the Galas police station.
Authorities said they managed to buy P200 worth of shabu from Junior but he pulled out a gun, prompting lawmen to shoot him.
Junior was rushed to the Delos Santos Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.
Police said they recovered a .45-caliber pistol, six sachets of shabu and P200 in marked money from Junior.
In Valenzuela City, a man was found dead by barangay watchmen along Ilang-Ilang street in Barangay Maysan at past 1:30 a.m. yesterday.
Police have yet to identify the slain suspect who bore gunshot and stab wounds.
The man’s face was covered with packing tape and his hands were tied with a nylon cord, probers said.
Police said they recovered three sachets of shabu from his pocket.
15 fall in drug stings
Fifteen drug suspects were arrested by police in separate operations in the southern part of Metro Manila yesterday.
In Makati, three jeepney barkers were apprehended in an alleged shabu session in Barangay Cembo. They were Ruel Espiritu, 37; Richard Bangcos, 36, and Alvin Mapolo, 29.
Superintendent Jenny Tecson, spokesperson for the Southern Police District, said the suspects were caught in the act of sniffing shabu.
Tecson said at least 1.5 kilos of shabu worth P5 million were confiscated from four suspected drug dealers in Barangay New Lower Bicutan in Taguig yesterday.
Police also seized two M-14 rifles, 60 bullets and a gun replica from the suspects.
Four more drug suspects were collared in another sting in Barangay Ususan, also in Taguig.
Police identified them as Andres Mariano, 60; Kenneth Pascual, 31; Ariel Buenvinuto, 30, and Hasshis Espiritu, 32.
In Las Piñas, Fernan Ocampo, 33, and Edwin Aguilar, 46, were arrested for alleged shabu possession in Barangay Zapote.
Suspected drug pusher Jayson Flores, 35, a jeepney barker, was nabbed after he allegedly sold a sachet of shabu to a police officer who posed as a buyer in Barangay San Roque, Pateros.
Rodel Bautista was arrested by anti-narcotics agents for alleged possession of marijuana in Barangay Sucat, Muntinlupa.
The suspects are being held by police on charges of violating Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. – Ghio Ong, Romina Cabrera, Emmanuel Tupas