Ex-cop, 10 others killed in drug war

MANILA, Philippines - The drug war death toll continued to rise as 11 people, including a former police officer who reportedly turned gun-for-hire, were killed in separate shooting incidents in Metro Manila since Thursday night.

In Caloocan City, first to be killed was Restituto Remero, who was allegedly included in the drug watchlist.

Remero was standing in front of his house along San Vicente street, Barangay 178 in Camarin when a gunman arrived on a motorcycle and shot him at close range at 10:30 p.m., Superintendent Rey Ariza, commander of the Caloocan police north extension office, said.

Ariza said Remero died at the scene from gunshots to the head.

A witness told police the assailant was wearing a white helmet and black jacket.

Ariza said he immediately ordered a dragnet for the suspect, who fled toward Sampalukan street in Barangay 176.

The suspect, who was identified as Elpidio Manding, was killed after he allegedly shot it out with police.

Police said they recovered from Manding a loaded caliber .45 pistol, a sachet of shabu, assorted identification cards and a piece of paper with the names of suspected drug personalities, including Remero.

According to Ariza, Manding was a former member of the Caloocan police with the rank of Police Officer 2.

Manding was dismissed from the police service for being absent without official leave, Ariza said.

Ariza said Manding became a member of a gun-for-hire group based in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

Police said Manding and his cohorts could have been involved in vigilante killings of drug suspects.

Three other drug suspects, including a woman, were shot dead by motorcycle-riding men in a pick-up along Pili street in Barangay 178 at around 3 a.m. yesterday, according to Caloocan police chief investigator Senior Inspector Ilustre Mendoza.

Investigators have yet to identify the fatalities.

Mendoza said the suspects died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

Police said the pick-up was traced to Joby Suzano, who is allegedly included in the drug watchlist.

Prior to the killing, a source told The STAR that the suspects were supposed to deliver a kilo of shabu to an undercover officer.

Responding policemen reportedly failed to recover the shabu.

Shootout in cemetery

In Manila, three suspected drug pushers were killed after they allegedly traded shots with police following a sting at the Manila North Cemetery.

Police have yet to identify the suspects, who allegedly yielded three caliber .38 revolvers, several sachets of shabu and P500 in marked money.

The shootout happened after members of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 3 and the Blumentritt police community precinct raided a mausoleum used as a hideout by the suspects.

MPD Station 3 chief Superintendent Santiago Pascual said the suspects were about to hand over shabu to an undercover officer in exchange for P500 when they noticed that they were transacting with a police officer.

Another drug suspect, Jayson Garado, 31, was killed in what police said was a shootout in Binondo.

Garado died from two gunshots to the chest at the house of Ismael Palakay, MPD homicide investigator Senior Police Officer 2 Jonathan Bautista said.

Police said they recovered two sachets of shabu from Garado.

Bautista said Palakay and Glenn de la Cruz, 35, were caught in a pot session at the Parola Compound prior to the killing of Garado.

In Quezon City, three drug suspects were shot dead in separate police operations in Barangays Silangan and Tatalon yesterday.

Killed were Ramil Lopez, John Chester Erorita and Renato Dela Rosa.

Lopez and Erorita were neutralized after they allegedly shot operatives of the Batasan police station anti-illegal drug unit in Sitio Kumunoy.

The duo, who were included in the drug watchlist, were taken to the East Avenue Medical Center where they were declared dead on arrival.

Police said they recovered two caliber .45 pistols, five sachets of shabu and P400 in marked money from Lopez and Erorita.

Dela Rosa was killed after he allegedly engaged policemen in a gunfight along Manungal street.

Dela Rosa reportedly yielded a loaded caliber .45 pistol and two sachets of shabu, police said. – With Romina Cabrera