Police, 4 others dead in Calabarzon buy-busts

SAN PEDRO CITY — Five people, one of them a police officer, were killed in separate buy-bust operations in Calabarzon, authorities said on Wednesday.

In Laguna, Col. Eleazar Matta, Laguna police chief, said Leandro Palacio was killed in a police operation around 4 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Gulod, Cabuyao City.

He said police just recently identified Palacio as a street-level drug pusher.

In a text message, Matta said the suspect drew his gun and fired shots after selling suspected shabu (crystal meth) to undercover policemen. This forced the policemen to shoot him.

About an hour later, Erwin Loceste, alias Baby Ama, was also killed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Galamay-amo, in San Jose, Batangas, according to a report from the Calabarzon police.

Loceste was rushed to the San Jose District Hospital after suffering gunshots from the exchange but was declared dead on arrival.

In Antipolo City, Rizal, suspects identified only as alias Laon and alias Etchay were killed in an anti-drug operation around 6 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay de la Paz.

During the transaction, the suspects ran back to a house and opened fire, hitting Pat. Atiel Dapyawen and PSSg Joseph Mondarin of the city police.

Etchay was instantly killed when police back-up returned fire while Laon tried to escape until he was cornered by policemen in the same village.

The wounded policemen were rushed to a hospital but Dapyawen died while being treated. Maricar Cinco