Quezon cop among 7 slain in anti-drugs operations
INFANTA, Quezon — A police officer allegedly protecting the drug trade in this town and recycling “shabu” seized from operations in order to deal them to drug traffickers was killed in a shootout with police and anti-narcotics operatives in Barangay Pilaway, here, yesterday morning.
Police Officer 2 Ian Rey Abitona, assigned to the Infanta Municipal Police Station (MPS), was the subject of the buy-bust operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the Quezon Police Provincial Office (PPO) Intelligence Branch, and the CounterIntelligence Task Force (CITF) at 7:35 a.m.
But instead of yielding, PO2 Abitona engaged the lawmen in a gunbattle that ended up in his killing.
Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat said PO2 Abitona was the fourth policeman killed under his watch as commander of the CITF.
“Based on our report, he was using his civilian assets in recycling illegal drugs. Likewise, he was the suspect in killing some of his assets or runners whenever they failed to remit the required amount,” said Caramat.
5 die in Cavite Anti-narcotics operations in Cavite, meanwhile, resulted in the killing of five suspects and arrest scores of others since Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent William M. Segun, Cavite PPO director, identified the fatalities in the Tuesday night shootout in Bacoor City as Harries Iso; Diowie Concepcion, alias Asiong; and one alias “Badong” of the Iso Group which was linked to drug trafficking and robberies in the city.
Also on Tuesday at 8 p.m., Chief Inspector Dhefry A. Punzalan, Tanza police chief, said a buy-bust operation in Barangay Bagtas, Tanza, led to the killing of suspect Ibrahim Tamano, alias “Bryan,” who allegedly pulled out a gun on operatives.
Yesterday, the PPO said that Roberto Tamayo Advincula, alias “Jojo,” 48, a construction worker from Imus City, was killed in a buy-bust operation in the city on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, 55 people were rounded up in police operations against the drug trade since Tuesday in at least 14 towns or cities of Cavite.
1 slain in Ilocos In Ilocos Sur, police shot it out with drug suspect Leonardo Portela in Barangay Bagani, Candon City during a buy-bust operation last Tuesday.
Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) regional director, confirmed yesterday that Portela, who was a resident of Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur, was into drug dealing and that he was killed in the operation in Candon. (With reports from Aaron B. Recuenco and Erwin G. Beleo)