Drug war: 5 suspects gunned down

MANILA, Philippines — Five drug suspects were killed in anti-drug operations in Cavite, Batangas and Bulacan in the past two days.

Eduardo Villarmino, alias Blackpair, and an alias Dinio allegedly engaged anti-drug operatives in a shootout in Barangay Sabutan, Silang at around 1:18 a.m. on Monday and in Olaes, General Mariano Alvarez at about 2 a.m. yesterday, respectively.

In Batangas, a man known only by his alias of Nonoy was killed in a reported shootout with police officers in Barangay Mahabang Dahilig, Lemery at around 3:10 a.m. yesterday.

Two men with aliases of Jun Isda and Abo reportedly drew their guns when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents in Barangay Saluysoy, Meycauayan also on Monday.

Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, Bulacan police acting director, said two caliber .38 revolvers, sachets of shabu and marked money were recovered from the fatalities.

In Kalinga, marijuana plants with an estimated value of P5.9 million were uprooted in Barangays Buscalan and Loccong in Tinglayan town on Sunday. The cultivators of the marijuana plants eluded arrest.

Drug-free barangays

In Ilocos, a total of 2,899 of 2,901 drug-affected barangays have been declared drug-free by the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) and local police.

Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, Ilocos police director, said only two barangays in Ilocos Sur are the subject of drug-clearing operations.

Sapitula said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency confirmed that 1,584 of these BADAC-cleared barangays were cleared of illegal drugs.