Drug war: 3 dead, 27 arrested

MANILA, Philippines — At least three suspected drug dealers were killed in separate alleged shootouts in Quezon City and Valenzuela since Friday.

Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said the suspects identified only as Tikboy and Eric reportedly pulled out their handguns after sensing they were the subjects of a sting along Mauban street in Barangay Manresa at around 2:35 p.m. yesterday.

They allegedly shot the policeman posing as a drug buyer but missed. The other policemen in the area responded and shot them. They died at the scene.

Probers recovered a .45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver and five grams of shabu worth P25,000 from the suspects.

In Valenzuela, Anthony Madayag Ileto was killed for allegedly fighting back against anti-narcotics police officers who went to his house in Villa Martha, Gen. T. de Leon to serve a search warrant issued by Valenzuela Regional Trial Court Judge Nena Santos.

Ileto reportedly shot at a police officer, who was wearing a bullet vest, prompting the operatives to retaliate, according to the Valenzuela drug enforcement unit Chief Inspector Jowilouie Bilaro.

Ileto was declared dead on arrival at the Valenzuela Medical Center.

Police also arrested his partner Ailine Ortega.

They recovered from the crime scene a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver, two fired 9mm cartridges and 20 sachets of suspected shabu. 

Six more sachets of shabu were found on Ileto’s person.

Meanwhile,  27 other drug suspects were arrested in anti-drug operations in Quezon City in the past two days.

Among them is Angelo Padua, 18, a Grade 12 student and resident of Barangay Silangan.

Padua was arrested in a sting along Ermin Garcia street in Barangay Silangan at around 10:22 p.m. Friday.

Six rolled marijuana leaves and two sachets of marijuana, with a street value of P10,000, as well as marked money were confiscated from Padua. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab