4 drug suspects slain, 1 found dead in Laguna, Cavite
SAN PEDRO CITY – A man was found dead, while four other suspected illegal drug pushers were killed in separate shootouts with the police in Laguna and Cavite provinces, police said on Wednesday.
In Laguna, a man was found dead with gunshots in his head in Barangay Langgam in this city around 2:45 a.m. Wednesday.
Supt. Giovannie Martinez, San Pedro police chief, said in a text message that they have not yet identified the person, who was found blindfolded, with hands and feet bound with black electric tape.
The person appeared to be a victim of summary execution, as police recovered bullet shells in the scene.
In separate reports, four suspected drug pushers were killed during buy-bust operations in Laguna.
Still in this city, Baltazar Lagunoy of Barangay San Antonio was killed around 3:40 a.m. Wednesday.
Martinez said Lagunoy, 39, fired a .45-caliber gun at the police, forcing officers to shoot him down.
Aside from allegedly pushing drugs, Martinez said Lagunoy was also a suspect in the rape of his stepdaughter.
At about the same time on Wednesday, Cesar Hilaga was killed in Barangay Baclaran, Cabuyao City, Laguna.
Senior Supt. Eleazar Matta, Laguna police director, said Hilaga opened fire during the buy-bust, using a .38-caliber gun.
Police recovered from him a sachet of suspected shabu (crystal meth) and a gray sling bag that allegedly contained five more sachets of the illegal substance.
In Biñan City, Laguna, Jimmy Ignacio was killed around 10:45 p.m. in Barangay San Francisco.
Matta said Ignacio sold to an undercover police officer shabu worth P1,000. Police recovered from him a .9-mm gun and a shotgun.
In Indang, Cavite, Francisco Gallanero was killed in a buy-bust around 11 a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Bancod.
According to a Cavite police report, Gallanero drew and fired his gun, prompting police back up to return fire.
Police said Gallanero served as a drug “runner” in the area and was also involved in robberies and thefts in Tagaytay City and Mendez town in Cavite./lzb
