7 drug, gun suspects killed in Cebu ops

CEBU CITY — At least seven people, including four suspected drug pushers, were killed in police operations in Cebu province on Thursday and Friday, while bodies of two men, believed to be victims of summary execution, were found in Talisay City.

Those who were killed in police operations reportedly tried to shoot it out with the lawmen, prompting the latter to retaliate, police said.

One of those killed was believed to be a supplier of party drugs, while the rest were targeted for possession of unlicensed firearms.

The killings came after President Duterte announced on Wednesday that his antidrug campaign would be “harsher in the days to come.”

Simultaneous raids

Police were still investigating the killing of two men whose bodies were found on Friday at Barangay Maghaway in Talisay City.

Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of the Central Visayas police, ordered the conduct of simultaneous raids in Cebu to get rid of loose firearms and illegal drugs.

Among those killed were two barangay “tanod” (village watchmen) and a woman from Barangay Lusaran, Cebu City; a man from Barangay Zapatera, Cebu City; two men from Cordova town, Cebu; and another man from Daanbantayan town.

Ecstasy supplier

Police said the village watchmen had expired gun licenses and were reported keeping loose firearms.

Ken Kenneth Rosales, 31, who was killed in Zapatera, was a suspected supplier of the party drug ecstasy, police said. Two suspected drug pushers identified Rosales as their supplier.

In Cordova, two suspected drug pushers were killed in a buy-bust operation on Thursday. They were Librador Abayan and a certain “Moises,” who, police said, were “high-value targets.”

In Daanbantayan, the fatality was identified as Cristori Montiadora, a suspected drug user. —REPORTS FROM NESTLE SEMILLA AND DALE ISRAEL