Village chief, 4 drug suspects slain

MANILA, Philippines — A barangay captain and four drug suspects were gunned down in separate incidents in Bulacan, Cagayan and Pangasinan in the past two days.

Deogracias Mellaiaois, chairman of Barangay San Rafael II in San Jose del Monte, was in front of the barangay hall on Thursday when he was shot by unidentified men several times.

Also in Bulacan, an alias Bolaboy allegedly shot it out with anti-narcotics agents in Barangay Gulod Maginao, San Rafael. 

Ferdinand Torredo, a resident of Solana town in Cagayan, shot an undercover agent who posed as a buyer of shabu in a sting in Barangay San Mariano, Lal-lo, but missed, prompting the other police officers to fire back, authorities said.

Danilo Cerdaña, alias Tersiong and Jopet Caldona were killed in alleged shootouts with anti-drug operatives in Barangay Coldit, Asingan and Bolaoit, Malasiqui, respectively, both in Pangasinan, yesterday.– Eva Visperas, Raymund Catindig