5 dead in police shootouts in Laguna, Batangas

SAN PEDRO CITY — Four suspected drug pushers were killed in separate buy-bust operations in Laguna, while a suspected robber was killed in a

police shootout in Batangas, authorities said on Thursday.

Batangas police chief Col. Edwin Quilates, in a report, said the police have not yet identified the slain suspect, who was among the four men who broke into an apartment in Barangay San Rafael in Sto. Tomas town around 3 a.m.

He said that after the police received a report on the robbery, authorities flagged down the suspects onboard a tricycle along Maharlika Highway in the same village.

But instead of yielding, the suspects sped away prompting a brief chase.

One of them was hit when the police returned fire, while the three others had abandoned the vehicle and escaped on foot towards a bushy area in Barangay Santiago.

Police said they recovered a .38 caliber gun and four sachets of suspected shabu (crystal meth) from the suspect.

In Laguna, provincial police chief Col. Eleazar Matta said suspected drug pusher Ever Barcenas was killed in a shootout at 1:20 a.m. Thursday in Barangay Marinig, Cabuyao City.

Prior to this, Joselito Odpaga was also killed in an anti-drugs operation around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Real in the adjacent city of Calamba.

Still in Calamba City, the police killed suspected pushers, Jesus Tenido, and an alias “Long Hair” in a buy-bust around 5:35 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Sampiruhan.

Matta said Tenido and Long Hair’s companion, Wilson Valencia, surrendered.

He said the suspects were first to fire their guns to evade arrest, forcing the police to shoot them back in defense.