Ex-PDEA agent, 4 others dead in Laguna drug busts

SAN PEDRO CITY – Five people, among them a member of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), were killed in two separate shootouts with police in Laguna province early Wednesday.

Newly installed Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police boss Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar confirmed that one of the slain suspects, Reynaldo Dante, was a former PDEA agent in the region. Dante reportedly went AWOL (absence without leave) from his job in PDEA.

Eleazar said Dante, along with Wilbert Sardido and a still unidentified man, were killed in a buy bust operation conducted by the Laguna intelligence police unit around 5 a.m. in Barangay Sto. Angel, San Pablo City.

Police recovered three .45 caliber guns, seven sachets of suspected shabu, and P2,000 from the suspects.

In Calamba City, police also killed two drug suspects in a shootout during a buy bust operation around 2:30 a.m. in Barangay Pansol.

The dead suspects were identified as Christopher Manjares Gonce, alias Boy B, and another unidentified man.

A police report showed the suspects opened fire as they were dealing with undercover policemen.

Police recovered a .38 caliber revolver and an M203 grenade launcher from the suspects. /kga