4 more killed as Duterte’s drug war approaches 3rd month

Four more drug suspects were killed in three cities across Metro Manila on Tuesday, three of them in police operations that showed no signs of slowing down as the Duterte administration’s war on narcotics approached its third month.

In Manila, the alleged right-hand man of a drug pusher died while his boss eluded arrest in Pandacan.

The fatality, identified only as Paulo as of press time, was said to be working for Joel Caneda, who is listed by the Manila Police District (MPD) as a wanted drug pusher in Barangay 843.

Around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, the two men showed up on Zamora Street to sell shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) to undercover agents, according to a report in the MPD homicide section.

When Paulo noticed the trap, he yelled at Caneda that they were dealing with law enforcers. Paulo allegedly drew a .38-caliber pistol and shot the policemen, forcing one of them, SPO2 Conrado Juano Jr., to fire back and hit Paulo in the chest.

Caneda managed to escape by running toward nearby houses.

In Pasig, a man who was included on his barangay’s drug watch list was killed allegedly after shooting it out with the police in Barangay Palatiw around 11:45 p.m.

Jamil Mamao, 27, died in a buy-bust operation conducted by an antinarcotics team led by Chief Insp. Renato Castillo at Sanglaan Compound.

According to a report to Senior Supt. Orlando Yebra, Jr., the city police chief, team member PO2 Marvin Santos was able to buy “shabu” from the victim. But after the transaction, Mamo allegedly drew a .38-caliber revolver and fired at Santos, forcing an exchange of shots.

The suspect was hit four times and was declared dead on arrival at Rizal Medical Center.

Yebra described Jamil, a native of Marawi City, as a “notorious” drug pusher in Palatiw who was also on the watch list of Barangay Pinagbuhatan.

Based on the latest figures from the Eastern Police District, Mamao was the 6th drug suspect killed by the police in Pasig since July. Four more were killed in Marikina and five in Mandaluyong.

In Quezon City, a man who surrendered to the police in mid-July under the Oplan Tokhang antidrug program was killed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Bagong Silangan also on Tuesday night.

Salvador “Bong” Lucasia Jr. was shot by antinarcotics operatives in Purok 2, Country Homes, around 11:30 p.m.

A report from Quezon City Police District-Station 6 (Batasan) commander, Supt. Lito Patay, said his men led by SPO2 Jun Ralph Piñero targeted Lucasia, a “confessed drug pusher” who presented himself to the police on July 14.

Lucasia, who was on the station’s watch list, allegedly continued selling drugs in Bagong Silangan after his surrender.

Meanwhile, another Quezon City resident who was also on the police watch list but had ignored Tokhang was killed by a still-unidentified gunman who stalked him on Commonwealth Avenue near the corner of BF Road.

The QCPD said James Warren Florencio, 32, was a few feet away from his live-in partner when he was shot several times in the head by a masked assailant around 10:30 p.m. The shooter, who was also wearing a camouflage jacket, then fled on foot.

Florencio’s partner later gave a statement to the police saying she was buying from a sari-sari store in the area when she heard successive gunshots and saw the bleeding victim down on the pavement.

Patay, the QCPD Batasan station chief, said Florencio was identified as a drug pusher under the Tokhang campaign but he always managed to hide whenever the police went to see him at his house in Barangay Holy Spirit. TVJ