Woman, 2 trike drivers on drug watch lists killed

A woman and two tricycle drivers reportedly on drug watch lists were killed separately by motorcycle-riding men in Pasig City and Mandaluyong.

Rodeza “Badeth” Cruz was gunned down in front of a bank on C5 Road in Barangay Ugong, Pasig City, at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday.

Cruz, a resident of MRR Old Street in Purok 2, Barangay Pineda, was seated in a tricycle parked in front of the bank when two men on two motorcycles approached her and shot her several times.

Based on the report to Senior Supt. Orlando Yebra Jr., Pasig police chief, the victim was taken by the tricycle driver to Rizal Medical Center where she was declared dead on arrival.

Found in her possession was a sachet containing suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride), the police said.

Also recovered inside the tricycle were two cartridges from an unknown caliber of firearm.

Yebra, in his report to Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Eastern Police District director, said that Cruz was listed by Barangay Pineda officials as a drug pusher and user.

Cruz, however, did not surrender to authorities under Oplan Tokhang, said Chief Insp. Roberto Garcia of the Pasig police investigation unit.

In Mandaluyong City, two tricycle drivers were shot dead, also by motorcycle-riding gunmen.

At 9:44 p.m. Monday, Renato Bernardo was shot dead on A.T. Reyes Street in Barangay Poblacion by two men on a motorcycle. Bernardo was on the drug watch list, according to the police.

Three hours earlier, Benjamin San Jose, a 48-year-old tricycle driver also known as “Bad Boy Junior” to his neighbors on Ilaya Street, was killed.

The police said the victim was approached by eight men on four motorcycles at 6:52 p.m. All were wearing helmets, according to witnesses.

San Jose was shot by one of the suspects who then fled. He was brought to a nearby hospital but he was declared dead at 8:20 p.m. Recovered from the crime scene were four shells from a 9-mm firearm.

A report to Senior Supt. Joaquin Alva, Mandaluyong police chief, said that San Jose’s name was on the barangay drug watch list.

In Quezon City, anti-drug operatives arrested four persons and seized 45 kilos of suspected shabu worth over P200 million on Tuesday.

Armed with a search warrant, police operatives and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents raided the house at 1117 Banawe St., Barangay Manresa at 3:30 p.m.

Arrested were Eduardo Dario, 62; Rhea May Libira, 20; Gemma Rose Codera, 26 and John Rey Bungcasan, 34. —WITH JEROME ANING