Kagawad, 5 others slain in MM

At least six suspected drug pushers and users, including a barangay kagawad, were killed in various parts of Metro Manila over the weekend.

Most of them were shot dead by unidentified assailants.

Barangay 188, Caloocan City councilman Delion Banisil, 51, left his home at around 10:30 a.m., telling his wife he was going to the barangay hall.

A few minutes later, a tricycle driver told his wife the victim was lying dead on the street.

Investigators recovered four .45 caliber shells.

Banisil was included in the city’s drug watchlist. The barangay has been raided several times by different law enforcement agencies, including a drug sting in December 2013 wherein a National Bureau of Investigation volunteer was killed and four others wounded.

Last June, barangay chairman Edres Domato was ambushed in Quezon City.

In August 2015, the city council passed a resolution to investigate Domato for allegedly protecting criminals in the barangay and Mayor Oscar Malapitan ordered the relief of a police precinct commander whose jurisdiction included Barangay 188.

According to a high-ranking police official, Domato and some barangay officials and watchmen were reportedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Also in Caloocan, the body of garbage collector Arnel Matias, 39, was found with several gunshot wounds in Barangay 176 before dawn Saturday.

The victim’s widow told police her husband was involved in illegal drugs.

Several hours later, police officers acting on a tip arrested suspected robbers Walter Tarayao, 29; Leopoldo Delgado, 25, and Lester delos Santos, 30, as they were having a pot session in a house in Package 11 in Bagong Silang.

Police officers said they recovered a sachet of shabu and drug paraphernalia from the suspects.

Michael Gallilea was riding a tricycle driven by Rene Cuison when assailants on two motorcycles blocked their path in Barangay Caniogan, Pasig at around 4 a.m. yesterday.

Gallilea was on Barangay Caniogan’s drug watchlist while Cuison was reported to be his runner, residents said.

Investigators found four bullet shells, two slugs and a sachet of shabu at the crime scene.

Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), ordered a deeper probe of the incident.

In Manila, police officers raided the house of Lota del Mundo, 40, in Binondo at around 4 p.m. Saturday after receiving information that there was a drug session there.

Chief Inspector Leandro Gutierrez said they saw four persons having a pot session as they entered the house along C.M. Recto Avenue, but Del Mundo reportedly took his .38 caliber revolver and shot Police Officer 2 Robert Dulay, who fired back and killed the suspect.

Police officers arrested Alam Dina Basnillo; Del Mundo’s partner, Mary Rose Domingo, 26; and Keith Kevin Murallos, 22.

Barangay chairman Joselito Macan said they were not surprised to hear about the raid because they were told many times that the house was a drug den.

Playing dead

An alleged drug pusher survived an attack by two motorcycle-riding assailants in Mandaluyong City Saturday afternoon by playing dead.

Lobito Bernal was listed as under observation at the Mandaluyong City Medical Center, recovering from a gunshot wound in the nape.

He was at the back of the Botanical Garden in Barangay Addition Hills when the assailants attacked at around 2:30 p.m. The back rider shot Bernal and the assailants sped away, leaving him for dead.

Sapitula ordered a manhunt for the two assailants, believed to be members of a vigilante group.

Also in Mandaluyong, a dismissed policeman was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants on Saturday.

Cenin Failon, who held the rank of Senior Police Officer 4, was riding a tricycle when the assailants blocked the vehicle’s path along Martinez Road in Barangay Addition Hills at past 3 p.m.

Senior Superintendent Joaquin Alva, city police chief, said Failon was dismissed from police service for drug pushing and drug use and was on the local police’s drug watchlist.

9 arrested in QC

Meanwhile, at least nine drug suspects were arrested in separate operations in Quezon City on Saturday.

Calvin Tang, 37; Ricky Castillo, 48; Mary Grace Hernandez, 32; and Gina Carino, 47, were reportedly caught in a pot session in Barangay Bahay Toro at past 8 a.m.

Two sachets of marijuana leaves and various drug paraphernalia were seized from the suspects.

Jonathan Barlan, 24, was arrested by police officers and barangay tanods with nine sachets said to contain shabu and various drug paraphernalia along Isidora street in Barangay Holy Spirit at around 2:05 a.m.

In Barangay Bagbag, Aileen Montiel, 37, and Mark John Alita, were caught with two sachets said to contain shabu as police officers were visiting drug suspects’ homes at around 11 a.m.

Crispin Uy, 42, was arrested during a sting in front of his house in Barangay Quirino at around 11:30 a.m. He is in sixth place on the drug list of the Anonas police station.

Recovered from the suspect were two sachets of shabu and P200 in cash.

In Barangay Culiat, John Andrew Moran, 48, was arrested with a sachet said to contain shabu and a six-inch improvised ice pick at around 8:30 p.m.

Moran was driving a black Mercedes Benz when he was flagged down by police near the Salaam Mosque Compound.

The sachet was reportedly found in Moran’s driver’s license cardholder.