Eight alleged drug peddlers were shot dead while six other drug personalities were arrested in separate police operations in Navotas and Caloocan cities yesterday morning.
Senior Supt. Dante Novicio, Navotas Police chief, said five of the drug suspects identified only as “Junjun”, “Gerald”, “Champoy”, “Nono”, and “Alvin Toyo” were killed when they shot it out with police operatives inside the Navotas Fish Port Complex (NFPC).
Arrested during the operation were Aivilyn Zulueta, John Paul Ortiz, Merry Chris Mendoza, Cherish Mose, Marietta Samonte, and Rodel Ordoño.
Investigation showed that the Navotas Police, in coordination with the Northern Police District (NPD), conducted a “One-Time Big Time” operation at the Market 3 in North Bay Boulevard North at about 5 a.m.
Reports said that six police teams raided the area. After a few minutes of entering Market 3, gunshots were heard by residents.
Novicio said that out of the six targets of the police, five died when they engaged his men in gunfight.
“My men had no other choice but to retaliate. Only last Tuesday, one of my men was shot by a drug personality,” Novicio said. He was referring to Police Officer 1 Ryan Mones, who was badly wounded in an operation.
Police recovered from the suspects a 9mm pistol, a .38-caliber revolver, a .45-caliber pistol, and a .38-caliber revolver.
Meanwhile, nine sachets were retrieved from the arrested drug suspects.
In Caloocan City, three drug suspects were also killed after they fired shots at policemen along Philippine National Railway tracks on Guido Street in Barangay 33, Maypajo, at around 12:30 a.m.
Inspector Leo Tomas Jr., Caloocan Police Anti-Illegal Department chief, said they have yet to establish the identities of the three suspects.
The shootout occurred after a concerned citizen informed the police about the ongoing drug peddling along railroad tracks.
Recovered from the slain suspects were 15 sachets of suspected shabu, a .22-caliber pistol, and two .38-caliber revolvers.
Police are now hunting down the two cohorts of the slain suspects, who managed to flee during the encounter.
(Jel Santos)