4 drug suspects killed in QC shootout – police

Four suspected drug personalities were killed following an anti-illegal drug operation in Quezon City late Thursday night, a police report said.

The fatalities were John Lester Nacion, 20; Anaceto Villamor, 40; Richard Hilbano, 32; and Jestoni Yu, 29,  all residents of Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City.

Citing field reports, Quezon City Police chief Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said at 11:51 p.m., police conducted an operation in Barangay Tatalon that resulted in the deaths of the four suspects.

Eleazar said personnel of the Galas Police Station received a call regarding an ongoing pot session at the house of Hilbano along San Gabriel Extension Villa, España 2, Tatalon.

He added that upon arrival in the area and when police officers were about to introduce themselves, the suspects drew their guns and fired at the operatives, prompting the latter to retaliate.

“Again, drug suspects, possibly high on drugs, fired at apprehending policemen, triggering retaliation and their deaths,” Eleazar said in a press statement.

“Although tragic, this should be a hard lesson for other suspects that carrying a gun or being high on drugs should not give them the bravado to fire on police without risking their lives and their families’ happiness,” he added.

Recovered from the suspects were a cal. 45 pistol with live ammunition, three cal. 38 revolver, a brick of suspected marijuana and a sachet of suspected shabu as well as different drug paraphernalia.

The operation came as the government continues to intensify its anti-drug campaign throughout the country.

Earlier, the Philippine National Police said that as of Sept. 8, a total of 1,046 suspected drug personalities have been killed since July 1. — with Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News