Drugs eyed in Muntinlupa encounter

MANILA, Philippines — Investigators are looking into the possibility that a shootout in Muntinlupa City that left two jail guards and two police officers dead could be linked to the illegal drug trade, an official said yesterday.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde said they have yet to establish the real motive behind the encounter.

Police Officer 1 Jower John Lardizabal and retired Police Officer 3 Arnel Rubio allegedly shot at Jail Officer 1 Felino Salazar and JO2 Elmer Malidao just as the jail guards left the Muntinlupa City Jail at around 8:30 a.m.

Albayalde said Salazar is listed in the NCRPO’s Summary of Information (SOI) on illegal drugs.

Senior Superintendent Ely Matta, NCRPO’s intelligence chief, said Lardizabal – assigned at the NCRPO Regional Public Safety Battalion – was conducting a surveillance operation on Salazar.

“Malidao was not listed on our SOI on illegal drugs. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time, while Rubio happened to be in the area when the shootout occurred,” said Matta in an interview.

Albayalde said they are hunting down two other persons caught on closed-circuit television cameras running away after the shooting.

“We are still in the process of piecing together what went wrong that led to the shootout but the motive is very clear – illegal drugs,” Albayalde said in an interview.

“We are still identifying the two other suspects.”

Albayalde said they have no idea as yet regarding the whereabouts of another jail guard, TJ Tanael, who was snatched by armed men after the shootout.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Dante Novicio earlier said Tanael was taken into police custody after he was seen in the area armed with a handgun.