3 drug suspects killed, 2 ring leaders nabbed

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna/ BALAYAN, Batangas/CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Police in Southern Tagalog confirmed yesterday the deaths of three drug suspects also involved in the killing of lawmen in separate encounters with police in Laguna and Batangas while two drug ring leaders were nabbed along with 22 other suspects in raids of their turfs in Tarlac.

Joint teams of the Batangas and Laguna Provincial Intelligence Branches (PIBs) led by Senior Inspector Aldrin Baysa and Senior Police Officer 2 Norberto Corachea; the Balayan Municipal Police Station (MPS) led by Sr. Insp. Allan de Castro; and the Calamba City Police were about to serve the arrest warrant for murder against Mark Louie Surwelos in Sitio Pabahay, Barangay Punta, Calamba City at 6:22 p.m. Friday, when he fired at the raiding teams.

Police had no other recourse but return fire, killing Surwelos who was the primary suspect in the killing on SPO1 Brian De Jesus on May 16, 2017 in Balayan, said Sr. Supt. Alden Delvo, Batangas provincial director.

Along with Macalindong Drug Group leader Rodolfo Macalindong, alias “Rojun,” Surwelos was also implicated in the killing of PO3 Roman Bejer on June 16, 2017 in Bauan, said Delvo. Macalindong, the No. 1 drug suspect in Batangas, was killed in a shootout in San Jose, Batangas the same month.

Meanwhile, Von Villanueva – listed as the No. 2-ranked high-value target – was killed in a police operation last December 16 in Lipa City.

PDEA3 Regional Director Joseph C. Ladip said the PDEA3 operation conducted with the Tarlac City Police Office also resulted in the dismantling the suspects’ alleged drug dens in Barangay San Nicolas and the arrest of 22 of their alleged cohorts. A total of 1325,000 worth of “shabu” was seized in the raids.