Drug suspect killed, 17 others held in stings

MANILA, Philippines — An alleged drug pusher was killed in an encounter with anti-drug operatives in Pampanga while 17 other suspects were arrested in stings in Luzon on Wednesday.

Cris Rosales, 31, who ranked fourth on the list of most wanted persons in Angeles City, drew his gun when he sensed he had sold shabu to undercover agents in Barangay Balibago, Chief Superintendent Jose Amador Corpus, Central Luzon police director, said.

A .38-caliber revolver, two sachets of shabu and a motorcycle were recovered from the fatality, police said.

Corpus said Rosales had a pending warrant for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Ten other suspects were arrested in Plaridel, San Jose del Monte, Obando, San Ildefonso and Baliuag in Bulacan. They reportedly yielded 27 sachets of shabu.

Nigerian man Edward Dike Ikechukwu and his Filipino companions Jan Vincent Ramos, Roswald Celestial and Victoria Cermazanu were arrested after selling shabu worth P1,000 to an undercover agent in front of a fastfood chain in Barangay San Isidro, Angono, Rizal.

Security guard Mohammad Amanoden Lacsa, 38, and vendor Aminodin Ali Bitor, 33, were collared along Marcos highway. The suspects are alleged members of a drug ring operating in Baguio and Benguet.

Maria Fidella Garello was arrested in Barangay Centro, Buguey, Cagayan.

Rico Digal, the fifth most wanted drug suspect in Central Visayas, was arrested in Barangay Anuling Lejos II in Mendez, Cavite.

Digal admitted his links with Central Visayas drug lords Jeffery Diaz, alias Jaguar, and Franz Sabalones, according to Senior Superintendent Wilson Asueta, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region director.

Asueta said Digal, a leader of a drug ring operating in Bohol, hid in Cavite for almost a year.

Bohol Regional Trial Court Branch 51 Judge Patsita Sarmiento-Gamutan issued the warrant of arrest. – Raymund Ca-tindig, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Artemio Dumlao, Ed Amoroso