3 drug suspects killed in Camarines drug stings

LEGAZPI CITY – Three drug suspects were killed while another one was arrested in separate drug busts in Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte on Wednesday and Thursday.

Colonel Bernardo Perez,  director of Camarines Sur police, reported that Ronald Arago,  32, and Bartolome Lawsin, 33, were killed in an operation in Barangay Gaongan in Sipocot town at around 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday.

The two suspects were about to be arrested when they tried to escape aboard a vehicle.

Police officers chased the suspects,  resulting in a gun battle that led to the death of  Arago and Lawasin.

Recovered from the slain suspects were three sachets of shabu (crystal meth)  worth an estimated P20,000, a .38 caliber revolver, an improvised 12 gauge shotgun and various ammunition.

In Camarines Norte, a drug suspect  was killed early on Thursday in the town of Paracale following an armed confrontation.

The slain suspect, identified as Sandy Encinares, died while en route to hospital. 

Encinares attempted to shoot undercover police officers who posed as drug buyers in a transaction at 2:50 a.m. in Barangay Bagumbayan,  according to a report released by Colonel Marlon Tejada, Camarines Norte police chief.

In Pili, Camarines Sur, market vendor Herbert Castro, 26, was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Public Market Site, Barangay Old San Roque at around 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Bogard Arao,  Pili police chief, said authorities recovered .030 grams of shabu worth P1,500 from Castro

Arao said Castro was in the town police’s  illegal drugs watchlist. 

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