2 drug suspects killed, 24 arrested in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — A tricycle driver and a vendor, who were gunned down three hours apart in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City Sunday night, turned out to be notorious drug pushers in the area, a senior police official said yesterday.

Police also arrested 24 persons for illegal drugs in Metro Manila.

Investigators found that tricycle driver Dennis Claro, 22, and vendor Roberto Busa, 50, may have been killed for failing to remit the proceeds from their drug deals, according to assistant police chief for operations Superintendent Annie Mangelen Langcay.

Claro was shot dead by motorcyle-riding assailants while he was waiting for a passenger at around 8:30 p.m. Fruit vendor Amer Rodin Sultan was wounded in the shooting.

Police recovered five fired cartridge cases of a .45 caliber pistol from the scene.

At around 11:30 p.m., Busa was shot while he was standing outside a store when he was shot by a lone male assailant. Three others were wounded.

Police recovered four fired cartridge cases of a .45 caliber pistol.

In Navotas, four persons were arrested with P1.5 million worth of shabu in a sting yesterday.

Aldrin Campos, Jay-r Sonet, Jilian Alegado, and Merelyn Golfere were apprehended at Market 3 in Barangay North Bay Boulevard North, according to NPD director Chief Superintendent Gregorio Lim.

Police confiscated 10 sachets of shabu weighing 250 grams with a street value of P1.5 million from the suspects.

Fourteen drug suspects were arrested in Quezon City and six in Manila. – Rey Galupo, Emmanuel Tupas