4 killed in Davao drug raid

TAGUM CITY, Philippines – Four people were killed and a still undetermined quantity of illegal drugs were seized following a massive anti-narcotics operation here and in two towns in Davao del Norte on Saturday, officials said.

Senior Supt. Samuel Gadingan, Davao del Norte police chief, said the fatalities were personalities suspected to be involved in illegal drugs who resisted arrest and traded shots with police during a near-simultaneous sweep on different areas here and in the towns of Sto. Tomas and Asuncion.

Conducted by teams from the city and provincial police as well as from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), police maritime unit and the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea), the 5 a.m. raids targeted personalities suspected of involvement in illegal drugs in the villages of Magdum, Mankilam, Magugpo West and San Miguel here, Insp. Anjanette Tirador, spokesperson of Tagum City police station, said.

Tirador said two suspects were killed in the raid here while two more died in Sto. Tomas and Asuncion according to Gadingan.

He said several other suspects were arrested during the raids, which were backed by court warrants.

Saturday’s operation was carried out a few weeks after police and Pdea agents seized over P6 million worth of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from four transients in Magugpo West.

Last July, a kilogram of shabu valued at P9 million was also seized here and two suspects had been arrested. Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao