Wanted drug dealer dead in shoot-out

A big-time drug dealer on the wanted list of police and two suspected thieves were killed in separate shoot-out incidents with law enforcers in Taytay, Rizal province on Thursday.

Oliver Taib was shot dead after he fired at policemen who were trying to arrest him at a house in Barangay Sta. Ana around 6:30 a.m., said Senior Supt. Manuel Prieto, Rizal police director.

Prieto said Taib was a notorious drug dealer wanted for murder in a shootout in 2009, also in Taytay, between police and the drug lord’s group that had left a policeman, P02 Virgilio dela Cruz, and tabloid reporter Jojo Trajano dead.

The policemen said they chased the suspect who quickly drew his gun and opened fire. The first gunshot prompted the authorities to fire back.

“A bullet in the head immediately killed the suspect,” said Supt. Art Masungsong, Taytay police chief,   adding no one was hurt among the arresting officers.

Prieto said the suspects earlier held up a man at a burger stand and fled towards Tapayan road.

He said a civilian witness reported the robbery to the police who, in turn, caught up with the suspects in Barangay San Juan.

In another incident, two robbery suspects riding in tandem were also killed at a choke point set up by the police on Tapayan Road in Barangay San Juan in Taytay around 2:40 p.m.

The alleged shootout happened 10 minutes after the two held up and robbed a burger chain along Rizal Avenue of P150, police said.

“Luckily, the robbery happened right after the store manager had collected the day’s earning,” Masungsong said.

The victims immediately sought the help of policemen at a nearby station who ordered a dragnet operation right away.

Police have been unable to establish the identities of the two suspects.