WAR ON DRUGS
CAGAYAN: The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has declared Sta. Teresita in Cagayan the first-ever drug-clear municipality here. Laurefel P. Gabales, Regional Director, PDEA RO II, made the declaration yesterday at a gathering at Sta. Teresita Gymnasium, relating how Sta. Teresita successfully completed all parameters of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program pursuant to DDB Board Regulation No. 3, Series of 2017. Hon. Andrew Vincent Pagurayan, Consultant on Local Governance and Anti-Drug Matters, represented Hon. Governor Manuel N. Mamba during the activity. Meanwhile, Mayor Lolita Dela Cruz Garcia urged her constituents, especially the BADACs, to work doubly hard to maintain the drugclear status of the municipality.
SULU: Two individuals suspected to be involved in the illegal drug trade were killed by police in an operation in Barangay Lambago, Luuk, Sulu at 1:50 a.m. Wednesday. Lt. Gen. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command (AFP-WestMinCom) chief, identified those killed as Alsidi Anji and Benjie Dumdaydi. Galves said the two died after shooting it out with police. Their remains were turned over to Arafi Hajiron, a barangay kagawad of Tubig Putih, Luuk, Sulu. They were subsequently taken by relatives to Barangay Bulangsih, Panamao, Sulu. Among items seized from the two were a Garand rifle, shabu, and drug paraphernalia.
PAMPANGA: Two suspected drug personalities were killed, while eight others were arrested in various anti-illegal drug operations conducted by police in Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan on Thursday. Killed in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and Norzagaray, Bulacan, respectively, were Ronnie Sorio and one alias Totoy. Both allegedly engaged the police in a firefight. Arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Bataan were Dante Ricarte, Jojo Balma, Jonathan Soriano, and Jay Amar. Collared in Pampanga were Rolando Mercado, Michael Mallari, Richard Lapuz and Manuel Osias. Recovered from the suspects were guns of different calibers, as with packets of shabu and marked money.