12 more drug suspects slain by police

Twelve more suspected drug pushers were killed in separate anti-drug operations in various parts of the country in the past two days.

The figure showed an average of five suspects killed in a day since the Duterte administration declared a war against drugs.

Among those killed from Wednesday to yesterday were three in Bataan, two each in Antipolo, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, and one each in Camarines Sur, Southern Leyte and Olongapo.

The fatalities included a former police officer, who was killed in yesterday’s anti-drug operation in Sogod, Southern Leyte, which also resulted in the wounding of three members of the raiding team.

Police Officer 1 Emmanuel Salon, who had been dismissed from the service, reportedly shot at the officers who were conducting a covert operation.

Of the two slain drug suspects in Nueva Ecija, one was identified as Narciso Villa, a councilman of Barangay Bunol in Guimba town, according to provincial police director Senior Superintendent Manuel Cornel.

Villa, said to be the top drug personality in Guimba, was driving a motorcycle when he was killed by two motorcycle- riding men on Wednesday afternoon.

4,000 surrender in Region 1

Following the implementation of “Oplan Tokhang,” around 4,186 drug personalities surrendered and 228 persons were arrested in Region 1 from July 1 to 12.

Chief Superintendent Ericson Velasquez, regional police director, said the 4,186 drug users and pushers yielded in various police stations.

The 228 others were arrested during the implementation of search warrants and conduct of Oplan Sita, drug busts and police operations.

Velasquez said that in a span of almost two weeks, 989 drug suspects surrendered in Pangasinan, 2,030 in La Union, 766 in Ilocos Sur and 401 in Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, in Maguindanao, more than 6,000 drug peddlers and dependents surrendered in the past two weeks.

The latest to yield was a group of 197 youth and adults from the villages in Pandag town in the second district of the province.