It was a busy, deadly Friday that saw members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) killing five drug suspects in separate operations and arresting 27 others, the latter including a retired policeman formerly assigned with the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
A buy-bust operation in Barangay San Agustin, Novaliches, around 4:15 p.m. resulted in the death of Julius Tomas Faustino, 22, an alleged pusher who surrendered in July under “Oplan Tokhang,” and Elmer “Boyong” Gines, Faustino’s alleged courier.
Faustino and Gines were gunned down by the police after they allegedly fired first, and were declared dead on arrival at Novaliches District Hospital. Faustino’s 33-year-old brother Rodolfo and their cousin Janno Costales Tomas, 22, were arrested in the same operation that recovered five sachets of suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride), a .38-cal. revolver and a .45-cal. pistol from the group.
About five hours later, another buy-bust ended in a “shootout” in Barangay Bagbag, also in Novaliches, that left three more drug suspects dead.
The fatalities were identified as Anthony Macainan Pelicano, 36; Edgar Evas Enmil, 35, and Roberto Nunag Zaragosa Jr., 32. The police said they retrieved 10 sachets of suspected shabu and three handguns from the scene.
In Barangay Kamuning, a QCPD team arrested a retired policeman, SPO2 Ricardo Yatco Ruiz, and Mary Rose Bacalla Ludovice, reportedly his partner, for allegedly peddling drugs in the neighborhood.
Police records showed that Ludovice surrendered under Tokhang in August, while Ruiz, who used to report to the PNP-CIDG, had a standing arrest warrant issued by the QC Metropolitan Trial Court on charges of attempted homicide.
The couple were arrested after receiving the P500 paid by a poseur buyer for five sachets of shabu, according to a report to Senior Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, the QCPD chief.
In Marikina City, another suspected drug pusher was killed by the police Friday night.
Ronald Lim, 47, of Barangay Concepcion Uno allegedly fought it out with the team that conducted a buy-bust operation at his house on 6th Street, Goodrich Village, around 7 p.m., said Senior Supt. Lorenzo Holanday, the city police chief. —WITH A REPORT FROM JODEE A. AGONCILLO