8 drug suspects killed

MANILA, Philippines — Three suspects were killed in drug busts in Bulacan yesterday and five others in Nueva Ecija, Quezon and Laguna on Friday.

Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, Bulacan police director, said Roger Angelo Polonan, George Abellanosa and Lucky Brosoto shot it out with police officers in a sting in Barangay Sto. Cristo, San Jose del Monte at around 2 a.m.

Marlon Saquilayan, alias Andak, and Jayson Agaton Francial, alias Jackson, reportedly fired at police officers who posed as buyers of shabu in stings in Barangay Pasong Camachille 2, General Trias City, Cavite and Talao-Talao, Lucena City, Quezon, respectively, on Friday.

Police said the fatalities were on the drug watchlist and tagged in robberies in their areas.

Eleazar Flores, 32; Jerome Collado, 26, and Roberto Relucio, 27, all residents of Cabanatuan City, were killed also in alleged shootouts with anti-narcotics agents in Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija.

In Zamboanga City, businessman Kayzar Julkarim Ikbala, 34, whose father Sukarno was a retired police official, was arrested in Barangay Tumaga.

Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, Zamboanga peninsula police spokesperson, said Ikbala’s arrest was based on a warrant for illegal drugs issued by Judge Catherine Fabian of Regional Trial Court Branch 16 of the 9th Judicial Region.

Probe ex-mayor’s  death – CHR

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) called for an investigation into the drug raids that killed former mayor Talib Abo Sr.  of Parang, Maguindanao and his brother Disomimba in Cotabato City. 

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said it should be determined if police officers observed the guidelines in serving the search warrants against the suspects. 

“It is necessary to find out the truth on what transpired during the police operations to determine if the police... used proportional force... during claimed encounters,”  De Guia said.

The CHR had earlier said cases should be filed against police officers who killed suspects in anti-drug operations, noting that only a judge could determine if they acted  in self defense. - Roel Pareño, Raymund Catindig