The Manila Police District (MPD) killed seven more drug suspects in just one night, including a man who was first arrested for going shirtless in the streets but allegedly yielded packets of “shabu” when frisked below the waist.
Edgar Acebuche was being booked for drug possession and violation of a city ordinance around 6 p.m. on Monday when he allegedly grabbed the gun of an officer, said Senior Insp. Joselito de Ocampo, chief of the MPD-Lacson precinct.
De Ocampo said Acebuche had two sachets of shabu in his pants’ pocket when apprehended by his men. As they were recording his case later at the precinct, Acebuche asked if he could go to the toilet.
With his handcuffs removed, Acebuche suddenly reached for the gun of PO1 Oscar Cruz and a struggle ensued. De Ocampo said he himself shot Acebuche in the chest, killing him on the spot, because he refused to let go.
Buy-bust
Later that night, an MPD buy-bust operation in San Andres Bukid, Sta. Ana, led to the death of Jefferson Bunuan, Mark Anthony Bunuan and Jomar Manaois.
Supt. Robert Domingo, chief of MPD Sta. Ana station, said a gunfight followed after Manaois pulled a pistol on the undercover policemen.
Another drug bust, in Malate, led to the fatal shooting of Gerry Collado around 11 p.m.
MPD members in Baseco, Tondo, also killed Amir Amilul at his home on 11th Street, after they acted on a tip that several people were having a shabu session in another house nearby.
PO2 Rex Falgome said the officers caught Amilul and the group in the act. In the ensuing chase, Amilul was cornered in his house, where he allegedly drew a gun and was shot by the police before he could fire, Falgome said.
A man identified only as Erwin also died in a buy-bust operation around midnight in Quiapo. He was shot by SPO2 Rosendo Ascano after he allegedly drew a gun upon sensing the trap.
4 dead in southern Metro
In other parts of Metro Manila, four more drug suspects—one shot by the police and the others by unidentified men—were killed in Makati, Taguig, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa cities also on Monday night.
Around 10 p.m., the Las Piñas police shot dead suspected drug user and pusher Ruben Rivera at his home on Luzviminda Street, after the victim allegedly opened fire on the officers using a .357-cal. revolver, said Southern Police District spokesperson, Supt. Jenny Tecson.
Chief Insp. Rey Viloria, the Las Piñas police investigation head, said the officers obtained a warrant to search Rivera’s home and found four sachets containing shabu and 20 sachets of marijuana.
Another alleged drug addict and pusher was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen at the corner of Arnaiz Avenue and Marconi Street, Makati City. Chief Insp. Shirley Bao, Makati police investigation head, identified the victim as Mico Alexis Cabaryo, 29, of Pasay.
In Muntinlupa City, a half-naked man described to be 35 to 40 years old was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on the railway tracks in Barangay Tunasan, Tecson said.
In Taguig City, another dead man was found on C5 Service Road, Western Bicutan, Tecson said. He was later identified as Louieline Peter Pangilinan.
National Capital Region Police Office director, Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde, said that from July 1 to 17 in Metro Manila alone, a total of 70 drug suspects had been killed by the police, while 37 fell victim to vigilante killings. With a report from Faye Orellana