At least 11 drug suspects were killed over the weekend in five Luzon provinces even as the government’s relentless anti-drugs campaign forced the surrender of thousands all over the country.
Four of the fatalities were believed to be victims of vigilantes in Pampanga while the rest went down during separate police operations.
In Pampanga, the slain suspects were identified as Prince Michael Doña Lagmay, 22, of Purok 1, Bgy. Calancuasan Norte and Virgilio Leandro Madrid, 43, of Purok 2A, Brgy. Catalancan, Science City of Muñoz. The two other fatalities have yet to be identified.
Lagmay, listed in the Top 10 drug personalities, was gunned down Saturday at 8 p.m. while walking along the street, according to PO3 Dennis Pengson.
Earlier at 5 a.m., Madrid, another drug suspect, was on his way home aboard his motorcycle when two motorcycle-riding men appeared and opened fire on the unsuspecting victim.
PO3 Gabriel Santiago said the suspects fled towards Brgy. Pob West, Science City of Muñoz.
Meanwhile, the bodies of two drug suspects were found dumped on the service road of Emilio Vergara Highway Purok 1 in Barangay Sumacab Este in Cabanatuan City at 5:45 a.m. Saturday.
The bodies were each wrapped with packaging tape and bore gunshot wounds on the head.
PO2 Dionisio de Jesus said the fatalities were victims of summary executions for their alleged involvement in drug activities in the city.
In Zambales, three suspected drug pushers were slain Saturday following separate shootouts with Subic policemen in Barangay Capalacuan.
The first suspect was killed around 8 a.m. during a buy-bust operation while two others were gunned down three hours later.
Police did not provide the identities of the fatalities.
Two suspects were arrested during the same operation. They yielded 18 sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.
Meanwhile, two notorious drug suspects were felled in separate operations in Urdaneta City and Laoac in Pangasinan.
The slain suspects were identified as Francis Omillo, 29, of Barangay Mabanogbog, Urdaneta City and Oscar Valdez, 64, of Calmay, Laoac.
Sachets of shabu and guns were recovered from the slain suspects.
Two more drug suspects perished in separate police operations in Bataan and Baguio.
Supt. Joel Tampis, chief of police of Balanga City, identified the slain suspect as Louie Santos of Orani who drew a gun and tried to shoot the undercover police agent during a buy-bust operation.
Arrested were Jane Manguera of Calero, Orani and Oliver Baluyot of Monark Subdivision.
In Baguio, a man wanted for illegal drugs and homicide shot it out with anti-narcotics operative in Lower Brookside on Saturday.
Police tried to serve a warrant of arrest to Resty Sotero in his home at around 10 a.m. when Sotero brought out a handgun.
Sotero died during the shootout. Three suspects were caught in possession of illegal drugs, namely: Leopoldo Hilario, 35; Jonard Wansi Manuel, 26; and Reservoir Quelala, 35.
In Cavite, a 66-year-old man and two siblings were brought in police custody following a buy-bust operation in Cuevas subdivision in Barangay San Rafael II.
Chief Inspector Gil Tisado Torralba identified the suspects as Regalado Palustre Samartino, Sherrie May Odvina Luna and brother Ariel.
Torralba and his men pounced on Samartino and the Luna siblings after a poseur bought shabu worth P2,000 from them at 11 p.m. Friday.
Elsewhere, thousands of drug users and pushers surrendered in Bohol, Tagum and Cagayan Valley.
At least 4,800 have turned themselves in since police started to knock on the doors of suspected drug users and pushers last July 2. They surrendered in various police stations in the province.
“Based on the number of those drug users who have surrendered to the police, it only shows how serious the drug problem is,” said Senior Supt. Dennis Palo Agustin.
In Tagum City, 4,064 drug personalities surrendered to the local government, according to Mayor Allan Rellon. They came from 23 barangays.
Meanwhile, Supt. Chivalier Iringan, information officer of the PNP Region 2, said at least 947 drug suspects have surrendered in Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. (Franco Regala, Jonas Reyes, Liezl Basa Iñigo, Mar Supnad, Rizaldy Comanda, Anthony Giron, Mike Ortega Ligalig, Yas Ocampo and Freddie Lazaro)