5 dead in Laguna buy-bust

SAN PEDRO CITY – Five men tagged in the illegal drugs trade were killed in police shootouts in the adjacent cities of Biñan and Sta. Rosa in Laguna.

In Sta. Rosa City, suspected drug dealer identified only as alias “Darwin” and a still unidentified cohort were killed in a buy-bust operation around 4 a.m. Saturday in Barangay (village) Macabling.

An initial report said during the transaction, police claimed the suspects were first to open fire, prompting authorities to return fire. This happened just a few hours after another police operation resulted in a shootout in Biñan City.

A report from the regional police headquarters said a combined team from Biñan and the police here conducted the buy-bust against suspect Isagani Timoco in Barangay Canlalay around 11 p.m. Friday.

Timoco, however, tried to escape arrest by firing at the police. His two other cohorts identified only as an alias “Pepong” and alias “Bote” also fired their guns, the report said. The police shot back and killed all three suspects.

The police said they recovered three .38 caliber guns and a still undetermined amount of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth).

Timoco was allegedly a member of the Rojo drug group based in this city. In June, the group’s leader Gaudencio Rojo III was also killed in a buy-bust operation.