4 drug suspects killed in separate Bulacan ops

CAMP GENERAL ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan – Four suspected drug pushers were killed in separate shootouts with the authorities in Plaridel, Bocaue and Meycauayan City in this province.

Bulacan Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Chito Bersaluna said suspects Jose Villafuerte Bautista, a certain “Eduard,” Oliver Lucilo, and Ranilo Mariano Padilla were all slain after they decided to shoot it out with police officers who were trying to arrest them for drug offenses.

Bautista and Eduard were killed yesterday morning in Plaridel town after elements of the Plaridel police and Bulacan Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) conducted a buy-bust operation against them.

It was after the exchange of a sealed plastic sachet of shabu and P500 in market money by Bautista and a policeposeur buyer that the suspect reportedly sensed that he was falling into a trap laid out by authorities.

Police said that it was “at this point that (the suspect) immediately drew his firearm and fired towards the operating team that prompted the police to retaliate, causing Bautista's death.”

In Bocaue, operatives from the Bocaue Police and Bulacan Provincial Intelligence (PIB), conducted a buy-bust operation against the suspect known only as Eduard in Barangay Batia.

According to the police, the suspect was also killed in an armed encounter after sensing that he was dealing with a police agent.

Recovered from Eduard were seven plastic sachets of shabu with an estimated street value of P10,000, a caliber-.38 revolver, and the P500marked money.

Last Saturday, lawmen also shot and killed Lucilo and Padilla in separate buy-bust operations in the city that went wrong.

Citing the report of the Meycauayan City police, Bersaluna said that, after a successful test buy was made by a police agent, Lucilo suddenly turned violent and pulled out a caliber.-22 revolver.

In Barangay Batia, Padilla was also neutralized, while his live-in partner Angelyn Alaala was arrested by the police.