Drug suspect, 2 ‘thieves’ die in Rizal, Cavite shootouts

SAN PEDRO CITY—Three crime suspects were killed in separate shootouts with the police in Rizal and Cavite provinces early Thursday morning.

In Antipolo City, Rizal, suspect Gerardo Sandoval alias “Tisoy” was killed in an anti-drug operation around 2 a.m. in Barangay (village) Inarawan.

A report from the regional police office said Sandoval sold P5,000 worth of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) to an undercover policeman.

Upon his arrest, however, the suspect pulled out a .38-caliber revolver and fired at the lawmen prompting the policemen to shoot back. The suspect died instantly due to multiple bullet wounds.

In Tanza town in Cavite, two alleged motorcycle thieves identified as alias “Peter” and alias “Rapper” were killed in a gunfight with the police in Barangay Bagtas around 3 a.m.

Earlier, a man named Ronnie Villar sought police help when the two suspects allegedly took his motorcycle in Cavite City. The police identified and tracked down the suspects based on the description of witnesses concerning their clothes and the type of the stolen motorcycle.

Just as when the police introduced themselves, one of the suspects began to shoot, prompting law enforcers to retaliate and kill them both.

In Lumban town in Laguna, a buy-bust operation led to a gunfight and left a police officer wounded in the lakeshore village of Maytalang 1 on Wednesday afternoon.  The police operation targeted drug suspect Jeremy Villegas, who ranked fifth in the police watchlist for illegal drugs.

After the sale, Villegas allegedly opened fire and hit undercover policeman SPO1 Jerome Garcia.

Garcia’s back up, PO2 Henor Lagunias, returned fire but Villegas and his two other suspects managed to escape on a boat off the Laguna Lake. /jpv