2 ‘PUSHERS’ SLAIN IN NCOTABATO RUNNING GUNBATTLE

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao: Two suspected drug traffickers, Edzrapel Dima and Bashir Maniling, were killed after they engaged in a running gunbattle with police anti- narcotic operatives in Pikit, North. Chief Insp. Romy Castañares, Pikit chief of police, said both suspects of Pagalungan, Maguindanao, were in the police drugwatch list. Castañares said they received tips that the suspects were onboard a tricycle carrying drugs and were on their way to Aleosan, North Cotabato. Responding policemen recovered from the suspects a mini Uzi caliber 9mm machine pistol and several drug paraphernalia. Meanwhile, police in nearby Tulunan town arrested Jonel Ambid, 27, a farmer in a buy- bust on Tuesday night. A resident of Barangay Maybula, Ambid surrendered in 2016 and admitted having engaged in drug trafficking and vowed to reform. However, investigators said, he returned to his old ways and continued selling drugs.

PDEA NAMES 5TH DRUG- FREE TOWN IN PANGASINAN

MAPANDAN, Pangasinan: The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-Region I) declared on Wednesday this municipality with 15 villages as drug-free, making it the fifth such town in the province. Mayor Gerald Glenn Tambaoan commended the police force led by Senior Insp. Bernard Antolin, the Sangguniang Bayan, barangay (village) anti- drug abuse council and all sectors for helping in the anti- drug campaign. PDEA Assistant Regional Director Marvin Taveras said the 396 drug surrenderers have already been deleted from their list. Other municipalities declared drug-free are Santo Tomas, Dasol, Agno, Laoac and Mapandan and Alaminos City. Santo Tomas was the first municipality declared drug-free in the country as it has been found not affected by the drug-menace. Pangasinan has 44 towns and four cities; 30 municipalities and a city have already declared drug-free. The cities that remain drugaffected are Dagupan, Urdaneta and San Carlos.