5 drug suspects slain

MANILA, Philippines — Police are eyeing illegal drugs as the motive for the killing of three men in Lapu-Lapu, Cebu on Thursday night.

The bodies of Rene Egos, Orbel Inihao and a man who has yet to be identified were recovered in Sitio Dumpsite-Soong Center in Barangay Mactan, Inspector Wilfredo Rodriguez, city police homicide chief, said yesterday.

Police said Egos was previously detained for a drug-related offense.

In Iloilo, Kenneth Henry Tabaranggao, 30, and Vidal Allado, 49, were killed in an alleged shootout with police operatives who responded to reports that the two men took the service firearm and beat up Police Officer 2 Dennis Corcolla of the San Jose police at a bar also on Thursday.

Seven sachets of shabu were recovered from the fatalities, Senior Inspector Marc Dado, San Jose police chief, said.

Dado defended his men from allegations of a rubout, saying the bullet holes on their police car proved that there was an encounter.

In Laguna,  Alejandro Aguilar, councilman of Barangay Palo Alto, Calamba, was shot in front of a car wash shop on Thursday.

Bystander Jones Soriano, 16, was hit by a stray bullet and brought to the Global Medical Hospital for treatment. – Jennifer Rendon, Ed Amoroso