5 drug suspects, 3 others slain in shootings

MANILA, Philippines — Four drug suspects were gunned down in stings while another was killed by unidentified assailants in Bulacan, Laguna and Surigao City since Monday.

Police said Jay Gonzales, alias Kirat, and Erick Puebla engaged police officers in a shootout in Barangay Bayugo, Meycauayan and Pulong Gubat, Balagtas, respectively.

Two caliber .38 revolvers, 12 sachets of shabu, a sachet of dried marijuana leaves and marked money were reportedly recovered from the fatalities.

In Laguna, Dennis Abaliares reportedly resisted arrest and shot police officers who posed as buyers of shabu in Biñan.

Ruben Ramos, who was on the drug watchlist, was shot by motorcycle-riding men in Barangay Sirang Lupa, Calamba.

Superintendent Jay Baybayan, Surigao City police chief, said Jerry Villanueva, with aliases of Tami and Taloy, shot it out with anti-narcotics agents in Barangay Luna.

Baybayan said they recovered a caliber .45 pistol, ammunition, four sachets of shabu with an estimated street value of P47,800, marked money and the motorcycle from the fatality.

Poll gun ban

Meanwhile, three persons were shot dead in Isabela, Batangas and Rizal in the past two days of the implementation of the election gun ban.

A 22-year-old woman, whose identity was witheld by the police, was playing a card game at a wake in Barangay Luna, Roxas, Isabela when she was shot at close range.

The victim was pronounced dead on arrival in a hospital.

Joseph Alczar and Carlos Hibtapa were shot in Barangay Balele, Tanauan, Batangas and San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal, respectively.

Police said two persons were arrested in Negros Occidental, three in Iloilo and one each in Capiz and Bacolod City for violation of the election gun ban.

The Western Visayas police said 16 guns were seized in Iloilo, four in Negros Occidental and one each in Capiz and Antique since Sunday.

In Isabela, tricycle driver Marcel Mauricio, 33, was arrested after a raid on his house in Barangay Marabulig, Cauayan yielded an improvised gun, ammunition and illegal drugs. – Raymund Catindig, Gilbert Bayoran, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ben Serrano