4 dead in separate anti-drug ops in Laguna

SAN PEDRO CITY – Four men that the police tagged as “street-level” illegal drug pushers were killed in a series of anti-drug operations in Laguna province.

The latest incident happened around 2 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Gulod, Cabuyao City, according to reports by Laguna police chief Col. Eleazar Matta.

The report said Gerbert Verde, a resident of Barangay Marinig, drew and fired a .38-caliber gun during a buy-bust operation prompting the police to shoot him down.

In Calamba City, Japhet Alvarez was killed in a shootout around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in Barangay Parian, the report said.

Police rushed the wounded Alvarez to the JP Rizal Hospital in the city but he was declared dead on arrival.

At the same time, Roderick Fortuno, 43, died in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Pooc in Sta. Rosa City.

Police said they recovered a .45-caliber gun, which Fortuno allegedly used to shoot the police officers. Also recovered were nine sachets of suspected shabu (crystal meth).

In Barangay Maunong, Calamba City, suspected drug pusher Nelson Pamplona was killed in a shootout around 4:20 p.m. Tuesday.

The police recovered a .45-caliber gun and a sachet of alleged shabu from the scene. (Editor: Leti Boniol)