Drug deal seen in Quezon gun slays

LUCENA CITY—A drug deal turned sour could be behind the assassination of two women and a man who were attacked by two motorcycle-riding gunmen on Monday as they traveled on a highway in a Quezon town, according to police yesterday.

A suspect, Rafael Moreno, has been arrested.

Senior Supt. Valeriano de Leon, Quezon province police chief, said the car that those killed were riding yielded at least 10 kilograms of “shabu,” a street drug.

Killed in the attack were Jamela Custodio, of Tunasan, Muntinlupa City; Melvin Marquez, of Candelaria, Quezon; and Jasmine Pablo, of Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

They were traveling on a portion of Quirino Highway in Tagkawayan town that is being repaired when two gunmen in separate motorcycles came from behind and opened fire, police said.

De Leon said the victims’ car, a Nissan Cefiro with license plate No. UPW-803, yielded a bag of shabu hidden in the back of the driver’s seat.

He said the victims “were most probably members of a big-time drug syndicate.”

Quoting a witness, De Leon said the suspects tried to search the victims’ car but fled when kibitzers arrived.