Cop killed in ambush; drugs eyed

MANILA, Philippines - Investigators are looking into illegal drugs as a possible motive for the killing of a police officer in an ambush in Parañaque City on Friday night.

Police Officer 3 Alberto Canon of the Police Community Precinct 7 was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in Barangay Sun Valley, according to Southern Police District director Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario.

Apolinario said Canon was on a motorcycle on his way to the police precinct when he was ambushed by a motorcycle-riding gunman along the West Service Road at around 8 p.m.

Canon was rushed to the Philippine Army General Hospital in Taguig City where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Senior Superintendent Jose Carumba, chief of the Parañaque police, said the killing could be related to Canon’s job as an anti-drug operative.

Carumba said Canon was responsible for the arrest of several drug suspects in the city.

Canon has been receiving death threats prior to the ambush, police said.

Apolinario said they are coordinating with the officials of Barangay Sun Valley to determine if the incident was caught on closed-circuit television camera in the area.

Meanwhile, a suspected drug pusher was killed in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City.

Patrick Lambojo, 24, a jeepney barker, died from gunshots to the body at the Medcor Pasig Hospital, Eastern Police District director Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said.

Investigation showed that Lambojo and his friends were sitting under an overpass along Marcos Highway at around 11:30 p.m. when suspected vigilantes fired at him.

Witnesses said the assailants fled after the attack.

Sapitula said Lambojo’s partner admitted that he was into drugs.