Bodies of suspected drug peddlers continue to pile as police launched a renewed major crackdown, apparently buoyed by the victory of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte whose tough stance against crime catapulted him to power.
Before dawn yesterday, two more suspected drug peddlers were killed after a shootout with operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Barangay Pinyahan in Quezon City.
Senior Supt. Ronald Lee, head of the CIDG-National Capital Region, said the shootout stemmed from a buy-bust between the slain suspects and CIDG operatives.
During the transaction, the two suspects on board a vehicle with no license plate sensed the presence of policemen and immediately fired on them, according to Lee.
“This resulted in a car chase which ended on NIA Road. But instead of surrendering, they chose to trade shots with pursuing teams,” said Lee.
The two slain suspects were later identified as Amintao Khalid Makaindig from Pasig City and Ala Asnawe Macaayong from Dasmariñas, Cavite.
“They were identified through the identification cards seized from them,” said Lee, adding that the two suspects were declared dead at the East Avenue Medical Center.
Also seized from the suspects were three kilos of shabu, two .45 pistols, three cellular phones and the sedan they were driving.
Lee said they are now coordinating with the Land Transportation to determine if the dark gray Toyota Altis with conduction sticker YM 4318 under the name of Tes Philsoto Mominah is a stolen one.
Police records revealed that the number of drug-related fatalities in police operations is now more than 80 from January to date.
Police officials would not say if there was a spike of deaths of illegal drugs suspects since more than 30 of those killed were slain after the May 10 elections. (AARON RECUENCO)