3 dead in Laguna shootings

SAN PEDRO CITY, Philippines — Separate shooting incidents in Laguna province left three people dead, including a suspected top drug trafficker.

In Lumban town, suspected drug trafficker Jeremy Villegas was killed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay (village) Maytalang 1 around 4:35 a.m. on Friday.

Laguna police director Sr. Supt. Elezar Matta, in a text message, said Villegas, alias “Jengjeng or Jingjing” was fifth in the police list of “high-value” drug traders in the province.

Villegas was also a member of the Papera-Rana group which is involved in illegal drug trafficking and gunrunning, said police.

Police said Vilegas has an arrest warrant for drug pushing and was also wanted for the frustrated murder of a police officer.

Matta said Villegas took out a .45 caliber gun from a sling bag and fired just as police officers were about to arrest him during the sting. The police officers then returned fire, killing him.

Recovered from Villegas was the caliber .45 pistol, a shotgun and about 50 grams of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) with a street value of P200,000.

In Calamba City, suspect Mauro Sandoval Jr. of Victoria Laguna was killed in a police shootout around 10:20 pm Thursday in Barangay Parian.

Matta said policemen on patrol heard gunshots fired and responded to the scene, only to find two persons shot. They were later identified as Lyza Cunanan, 38, and Bryan Alcasabas, 32.

Police said Sandoval was shot by the responding officers after he opened fire during a chase.

Cunanan died on the scene while Alcasabas was taken to the St. John hospital for treatment, police said.   /muf