9 dead in drug war
At least nine persons have been killed in Metro Manila since Thursday as the government continues its war on drugs.
Among them is Barangay 174, Caloocan councilman Eduardo Gundayao, who helped police solve the murder of an informant of a drug gang, said Superintendent Rey Ariza, North Caloocan police extension commander.
Gundayao, his wife and eight-year-old daughter Nina were in their owner-type jeep at the corner of Carnation and Jasmine streets shortly before 6 a.m. Thursday when four men on two motorcycles shot him repeatedly.
His daughter was reported to be undergoing surgery as of press time.
Ariza said probers are looking into the involvement of one of Gundayao’s cousins and his gang, reported to be involved in the illegal drug trade in the area.
Gun-grabbing
In Manila, a man arrested for drug pushing died Thursday night after he reportedly tried to grab the gun of one of the police officers bringing him to the prosecutor’s office for inquest.
Tomas Javier, 43, one of Manila Police District Station 8’s most wanted, and another detainee were brought out of their cell by Police Officer 1 Ordep Ocampo and PO2 Harry Mark Salamanca shortly before 9 p.m., station commander Superintendent Olivia Sagaysay said.
The policemen were putting handcuffs on the two detainees as part of standard operating procedure before putting them in the patrol car but Javier reportedly grabbed Salamanca’s 9mm pistol and pointed it at them, she said.
Ocampo drew his gun and shot Javier, hitting him twice in the chest. Javier was declared dead on arrival at the Ospital ng Sampaloc.
Sagaysay ordered a thorough investigation of the incident.
Drug bust deaths
Seven of those killed reportedly shot it out with law enforcers during drug stings.
Salvador Teves Jr. was killed in Tondo, Manila yesterday morning.
John Patrick Paculan, alias Lorie, 30; Christopher Malanum, 24; Jeffrey David, alias Jeff Tattoo, 26; and Edgar Mendoza were killed in Quezon City stings since Thursday.
Police reportedly recovered a .45 caliber M1911 A1 Remington pistol, a sachet said to contain shabu, an improvised tooter and P500 marked money from Paculan, who was shot in his house in Barangay Holy Spirit at around 2 p.m.
Malanum’s two companions, identified only as Toto and Ngongo, escaped while he was killed in a bust in Barangay Sauyo at around 8:40 p.m.
Police reportedly recovered several bullet fragments, a loaded .38 caliber revolver and a pink coin pouch with eight sachets said to contain shabu at the crime scene.
A green lighter, P200 cash, and a sachet said to contain shabu were found on Malanum’s person.
David was shot dead in front of a convenience store in Barangay Gulod following a brief chase, which started in the neighboring Barangay Sta. Lucia, at around 11:20 p.m.
His getaway motorcycle, a loaded .45 caliber Colt pistol, seven fired cartridge cases, a fired bullet, P500 in marked money and other bullet fragments were recovered at the crime scene.
Superintendent Alex Alberto said David reportedly robbed Indian moneylenders in the city and was a suspect in the killing of Marcelo Palma, who was found dead last Jan. 3 at a vacant lot in Barangay Sta. Lucia.
Five sachets said to contain shabu and P500 marked money were found in the shorts worn by Mendoza, who was killed along Westpoint street in Barangay E. Rodriguez at past 3 a.m. yesterday.
Investigators recovered a .45 caliber Colt pistol, six sachets said to contain shabu and several fired shells at the crime scene.
In Caloocan City, the relatives of Jimmy Villamor, 45, and Benedicto Anas, 60, claim the police officers murdered them at past midnight yesterday.
They said the police account of a shootout during a drug sting could not have happened because the two men did not have guns.
Police reported recovering a homemade shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver and a sachet of shabu from the suspects following the shootout at the BMBA Compound in Grace Park at around 1:30 a.m.
Police Officer 3 Adrian Magbalot and PO1 Muktar Mohammad acted as buyers and reportedly bought a sachet of shabu from Villamor.
BMBA Compound is reportedly a haven for drug pushers and has been the subject of many police operations.