By: Analou De Vera
Four armed drug suspects were killed in gunfight with police while eight others were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Quiapo, Manila, early yesterday morning.
Supt. Arnold Thomas Ibay of Sta. Cruz Police Station identified the fatalities as Rickmark Barredo, 22; Antonio Sayno, 45; Elizalde Villanueva, 46; and Kenji Pineda, 26.
Police said Barredo was the target of the drug sting conducted by the anti-narcotics team of Sta. Cruz Police Station.
Police reported that around 12:30 a.m., Barredo was transacting with an undercover cop at the corner of Fraternal and Castillejos Streets when he noticed that his client was a police officer.
Barredo pulled out his gun and fired at the poseur-buyer who managed to draw his gun and fire back at the former.
The three other suspects joined the firefight but were overpowered by the police team.
The four men were all declared dead-on-arrival in the hospital, police said.
Police recovered from the scene the loaded firearms of the suspects and sachets of suspected shabu.
Meanwhile, police collared Ofelia Gatdula, 59; Teresital Lallic, 63; Odranreb Upaga, 40; Alberto Cortez, 37; Mark Lallic, 19; Giomari Manansala, 18; Jomael Badtuan, 18; and Ernestor De Guzman, 18, for possession of seven sachets of shabu, and drug paraphernalia. They are now detained at Sta. Cruz Police Station.
