3 dead in Calapan buy-bust

CITY OF CALAPAN, Philippines—A policeman and two suspected drug pushers were killed, while another one was wounded in a buy-bust operation against illegal drugs here late Friday afternoon, police said.

Supt. Jaycees Tolentino, chief of the Calapan police, said that based on initial reports, police were conducting a buy-bust operation led by Senior Insp. Magdalino Pimentel, when a shooting incident transpired between the police and suspected drug pushers in Barangay Suqui around 5:30 p.m.

Killed in the firefight was SPO1 Francis Noel Mendoza Abutar, 36, who is assigned at Oriental Mindoro provincial police.

Tolentino also identified the killed suspects as Marlon Manalaysay, a resident of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro; and a certain Pido from Batangas City.

He said Police Officer 1 Philip Digno also suffered a gunshot wound and was rushed to the Holy Cross Hospital for treatment.

Arrested in the operation were three suspects identified as Zandro Acejo, 18, from Lipa City in Batangas; Lyssander Aceremo, 22; and Mark June de Castro, 23, both residents of Naujan town. Madonna T. Virola