4 drug suspects killed in Laguna, Nueva Ecija

Four men were killed and nearly P475,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized in separate anti-drug operations in Laguna and Nueva Ecija, police reported.

Suspects Antonio Dalit, alias “Tala” and Jhondie Helis were killed when they allegedly traded shots with lawmen who tried to arrest the former in Biñan City, Laguna, according to a report from the Calabarzon regional police.

The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, while police were trying to arrest Dalit, the province’s 10th most wanted person, in Barangay Canlalay.

Intelligence operatives of the Laguna police were serving an arrest warrant for drug-related charges against Dalit but he and Helis drew firearms and fired, prompting the lawmen to retaliate, the report said.

Police recovered two caliber-.38 revolvers, 13 sachets containing about 50 grams or P340,000 worth of suspected shabu, a digital weighing scale, other drug paraphernalia, and some P3,500 cash, from the slain suspects.

Minutes earlier, around 4:10 p.m., one Marcelino Avila, alias “Bornok”, was killed in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Sibul of Talavera, Nueva Ecija, the provincial police said.

Avila, who has been under surveillance for months, apparently sensed that he was selling shabu to an undercover lawman so he initiated a shootout, it said.

Operatives recovered 17.5 grams or P119,000 worth of suspected shabu, a caliber-.45 pistol, and a motorcycle from the slain suspect who, according to police records, was previously arrested in November 2015 for gun-related charges.

Around 6:30 p.m., a certain Willie Jose was killed in another buy-bust operation that ended in a shootout, in Brgy. Talabutab Sur, General Natividad town, also in Nueva Ecija.

Jose’s unidentified cohort escaped on a motorcycle.

Operatives recovered a homemade caliber-.38 revolver and a small sachet of suspected shabu at the scene.