5 drug, murder suspects shot dead

MANILA, Philippines — Three alleged drug dealers were shot dead in police operations while two other suspects were killed by unidentified men in Batangas, Quezon and Negros Occidental in the past two days.

Police said Wilfredo Timola, alias Tawe; Irasty Carinan, alleged leader of a criminal gang, and his companion Erwin Bulandan resisted arrest and engaged law enforcers in shootouts in Barangay Lodlod, Lipa and Sta. Clara, Batangas City, respectively.

In Quezon, Christopher Sarco, alias Inggo, allegedly shot it out with anti-narcotics agents in Barangay Iyam, Lucena.

Murder suspect Leo Monares was driving his tricycle when he was shot in Barangay Lumingon, Tiaong also in Quezon.

Senior Superintendent Osmundo de Guzman, Quezon police director, said the fatality was a former member of a gang tagged in contract killings.

Joey Nillosan, a “high-value” target of the police in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, was shot by motorcycle-riding assailants in Barangay Qiwi.

Chief Inspector Jake Barila, town police chief, said 10 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P120,000 were recovered from the motorcycle of the victim.

Meanwhile, a motorcycle rider who has yet to be identified was killed in an alleged shootout with pursuing police officers when he refused to pull over at a checkpoint in Barangay Maasim, San Ildefonso on Wednesday night.

The companion of the fatality managed to escape.

P160-million shabu seized in Clark

At the Port of Clark, nine shipments of illegal drugs valued at around P160 million were seized in the past two weeks, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said.

Personnel of the BOC and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the shipments, which came from California and Las Vegas, were intercepted on Dec. 28, Jan. 10 and Jan. 14.

The BOC said the shipments contained 15 kilos of shabu, 200 pieces of ecstasy tablets stashed in cans of tomato sauce, chowder and crackers and 3,165 grams of marijuana wrapped in clothes.

Two of the consignees, Edna Valenzuela and her daughter Judy Ann were arrested after they received four kilos of shabu in a controlled delivery.  

PDEA chief Director General Aaron Aquino said they are coordinating with their counterparts in the US to track those responsible for the shipments, which they suspect to be part of the Mexican drug cartel.

Aquino said drug rings could have long been using canned goods to conceal drugs which they send through courier services. – Ed Amoroso, Gilbert Bayoran, Arnell Ozaeta, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Edu Punay, Romina Cabrera