4 drug suspects slain in shootouts with cops

MANILA, Philippines — Two drug suspects were killed in an alleged shootout with police officers in Nueva Vizcaya yesterday and two others in Bulacan and Laguna on Monday.

Joel Sabiano, a resident  of Barangay  Domang, Dupax del Sur, and Jun Batara of Malasin, Dupax del Norte drew their guns when they sensed they had transacted with undercover agents at around 2:45  p.m. in Pogonsino, Bagabag, police said.

Four sachets of shabu, P13,000 in marked money, two caliber .45 pistols and various types of ammunition were reportedly recovered from the fatalities.

Chief Superintendent Ariel Quilang, Cagayan Valley police operations chief, said they are tracking the owner of the motorcycle used by the suspects, which is  believed stolen.

Police said the slain suspects were also members of a gunrunning gang.

In Bulacan, Daniel Gelicame, alias Alex, was shot dead when he fired at anti-narcotics agents in Barangay Lawa, Meycauayan at around 6:15 p.m.

Police said the fatality yielded seven sachets of shabu, a .38-caliber revolver and marked money.

Armando Moron, who was ranked seventh on the list of “high-value” drug suspects in Laguna, allegedly shot it out with police officers serving a warrant of arrest at his residence in in Barangay Palo Alto, Calamba.

Shabu, marijuana bricks seized

Meanwhile, police recovered three sachets of shabu weighing 201.345 grams with an estimated street value of P1.3 million in a sting in San Fernando, Pampanga on Monday.

The suspects were identified as Abdillah Omar, a resident of Dasmariñas, Cavite, and Mariam Baltao, Amenoding Amer and a 16-year-old of New San Jose, Dinalupihan, Bataan.

Also on Monday, in Mountain Province, marijuana bricks and dried marijuana plants weighing 26 kilos and valued at P650,000 were seized from four local tourists while resting at a café in Barangay Poblacion, Bontoc.

The suspects reportedly came from Barangay Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga where they acquired the marijuana bricks and plants.

Around 20 grams of shabu valued at P136,000 were reportedly recovered from Jaime Malinao Sr. and his sons Jaime Jr. and Mark James in Barangay Maltana, Tampakan, South Cotabato. – Raymund Catindig, Victor Martin, Artemio Dumlao, Emmanuel Tupas