By AARON RECUENCO
At least 21 suspected illegal drugs personalities were killed in simultaneous raids in two cities and 10 other towns within Bulacan, the biggest casualties so far in a one day implementation of the government’s fight against illegal drugs.
Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, director of the Central Luzon regional police, said the operations also resulted in the arrest of at least 64 other illegal drugs personalities and the confiscation of 21 firearms and some 100 grams of shabu.
“This is a province-wide simultaneous big operations on illegal drugs in Bulacan,” said Aquino.
The official said among the firearms confiscated were 17 revolvers, a 9mm pistol, and a caliber 32.
Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, director of the Bulacan Provincial Police Office, said all the fatalities tried to fight it out with the raiding policemen during the operations that started at around 7 p.m. on Monday and ended at around 7 a.m. yesterday.
In Marilao, he said two suspected personalities identified only as alias Egoy and alias Tom were killed while a .38 revolver and an improvised shotgun were seized. Six sachets containing two grams of shabu were also recovered.
In Obando, a certain Enan and a certain Justin were also killed, with a .38 revolver and a 9mm pistol were seized along with 50 grams of shabu.
In San Jose del Monte City, two more drugs personalities were killed while in Malolos City, two people identified as a certain Willy and a certain Elias were also gunned down.
Others who shot it out and were eventually killed during separate operations happened in Pulilan, Balagtas, San Miguel, Plaridel, Guiguinto, Norzagaray, Sta. Maria and Baliwag.
A total of 3,264 suspected drug pushers and users were killed since the anti-drugs war of the Duterte administration was launched – from July 1 last year to June 30 this year.
Based on the PNP data, Central Luzon and Metro Manila topped the list of the regions with most numbers of anti-drugs operations conducted and with most illegal drugs personalities killed.
The heads of the Central Luzon and Metro Manila regional police forces were among the awardees in the recent Police Service Anniversary for their accomplishments in the war against illegal drugs.