6 drug suspects shot dead

MANILA, Philippines — Six more drug suspects were killed in separate incidents in Bulacan, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Ilocos Norte in the past two days.

Marcelino Pena and two others known only by their aliases of Michael and Pilan opened fire when they sensed they had sold shabu to undercover agents in Pandi, Bocaue and Meycauayan, respectively, according to Chief Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, acting Bulacan police director.

Bersaluna said the fatalities yielded 21 sachets of shabu, three .38 caliber revolvers and marked money.

He said five other drug suspects were arrested in stings in Malolos, Hagonoy and Sta. Maria.

Leonardo Portela, a resident of Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur, allegedly engaged anti-narcotics agents in a shootout in Candon City.

In La Union, Rodante Aosta was shot dead when he fired at police officers who posed as buyers of shabu in Barangay Baroro, Bacnotan.

Meanwhile, police are looking at illegal drugs as the motive for gun attacks in Ilocos Norte and Isabela that left a drug surrenderee dead and two others wounded.

Arsenio Cajigal, 47, an employee of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, was in a van with his co-worker Alexter Baldugo, 47, when they were shot by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen in Barangay Apatut-Lubong, Pinili town.

Cajigal was pronounced dead on arrival in a hospital, where Baldugo, who was wounded, was confined.

In Isabela, former barangay kagawad Rizalino Borromeo, 49, was walking in Barangay Caliguian when he was shot.

Police said the victims surrendered under Oplan Tokhang in 2016.

Car thief slain in shootout

In Cavite, police said an unidentified man suspected of stealing a stereo in a Mitsubishi Adventure parked along Aguinaldo highway in Tagaytay was killed in a shootout with law enforcers when cornered along Vilbay street in Barangay Maitim II at around 1 a.m. yesterday.

A caliber .38 revolver and a backpack containing sachets of  shabu,  assorted electrical tools and the stolen car stereo were reportedly recovered from the fatality.– Raymund Catindig, Eva Visperas, Jun Elias, Ed Amoroso, Emmanuel Tupas