4 suspects in bloody drug bust charged

Four arrested suspects in last Wednesday’s botched drug buy-bust operations of the National Bureau of Investigation in Fairview, Quezon City, have been charged with multiple murder.

The botched entrapment operation cost the lives of an NBI agent, two civilian NBI informers, and a suspected drug dealer.

Charged in the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Officer were suspects Misuari Macarambong, Ali Decampong, Jamal Demcampong and Sulaiman Mamadra; who according to the NBI, has two standing warrants for murder in Marawi City. The suspects are residents of Burbank and Baker streets, Fairmont Subdivision, North Fairview.

"These people are really killers. I have requested our Iligan office to look into the backgrounds of these suspects, especially Mamadra," said Lolito Utitco, the NBI officer-in-charge.

According to Utitco, the four arrested suspects were also found positive for nitrate traces, meaning they could have fired guns.

Utitco said that three other suspects who were also picked up by the NBI for questioning were released after investigators failed to link them to the incident. Those released from the NBI’s custody were identified as Rascal Pacalma, Samer Abubakar and Agri Mamarugong.

Killed in the incident were NBI Special Investigator Teddy Col-coli, 31; civilian informers Daniel Domingo, 18; Soledad Guzman; and suspected drug dealer Alvin Batuas.

Last Wednesday, Col-coli and his informants, backed by some 16 NBI agents arrived at about 10 p.m. at a house owned by suspected drug dealer Alvin Bantuas at Block 38, Baker Street in North Fairview. It was inside the subdivision where the alleged drug ring led by Bantuas had agreed to deliver one kilo of shabu to Col-coli and the informants in exchange for P600,000.

Shortly after their arrival, Bantuas appeared and boarded the taxi cab driven by Col-coli. The two informants were seated in the rear passenger seat while another agent, Geonel Aperio hid in the trunk as back-up.

Bantuas reportedly asked to see the cash. After the marked cash was shown to him, he reportedly signaled a certain Abolkheir Calandeda to approach. But Col-coli sensed something amiss and drew his gun. Calandeda reportedly grappled for it.

The gun then went off hitting Col-coli and Bantuas. They died while being rushed to a nearby hospital. Bantuas’ henchmen then dragged Guzman and Domingo inside Bantuas’ house and shot them in the head.

Aperio who was unable to get out of the trunk, signaled the other agents led by agent Regner Peneza to move in but the suspects managed to escape with the marked cash.

Follow-up operations early Thursday morning led to the arrest of the other suspects and in the killing of Calandeda in Pasay City after he reportedly tried to resist arrest and tried to escape.

Meanwhile, NBI sources said they are still analyzing the incident whether it was indeed a botched operation or was just a plain case of robbery and double-cross by the drug dealers.

The NBI added that they are still tracking down a certain Lomu or Ulomodin who is reportedly the one who took the marked entrapment cash.

Utitco has ordered all available agents to track down Lomu and the other suspects who are at large. The NBI has also posted agents at the Manila Port Area and at the domestic airport following a tip that the suspects could be making their way back to Mindanao.

"These are independent drug dealers who operate in Metro Manila. However, it is possible that the source of their drugs is in Mindanao. It is also possible that they also operate in Mindanao if they feel they are being targeted by law enforcers here in Metro Manila," he said.

Col-coli who will be buried next week in Baguio City, was promoted posthumously by the NBI to the next rank of Special Investigator 4. Col-coli who only served as line agent of the NBI for the past three years, reportedly volunteered for the botched entrapment operation, not knowing that it would be his last.