Family of Bulacan raid casualty says he did not resist arrest

The family of Jeffrey Miranda insisted on Wednesday that he did not resist when cops conducted drug raids in Malolos, Bulacan.

Miranda, a resident of Barangay Mojon, was one of the 32 people killed during the simultaneous drug raids in the province.

"Nagbisyo nga dahil sa hayop na drugs na 'yan. Pero sa totoo lang sa ngayon matino na 'yan, naghahanap-buhay," Miranda's father Guillermo said in a 24 Oras report by Marisol Abdurahman.

The police said that the individuals killed in the raids had resisted. According to Malolos police chief Superintendent Heryl Bruno, live-in partners Alvin Marquez and Victoria dela Cruz fired shots at the police.

"Binolt cutter natin 'yung ating ano... kasi talagang very secured 'yung kanilang pamamahay. In-engage na nila 'yung unang tao namin dito sa gilid. So patakbo doon sa may kanto, pinutukan niya pa so di niya tinamaan 'yung tropa. Pagtakbo niya eh, nandoon na 'yung tropa sa may basketball court," Bruno said.

The chairman of Barangay Atlag said they had tried to convince Marquez and dela Cruz to surrender, but to no avail.

"Ngunit nagalit po sila sa akin dahil bakit daw po tinuro ko 'yung bahay nila saka bakit daw po ang pangalan nila ay nasama sa listahan," said Danilo Clavio.

The report quoted authorities as saying that the raids in Bulacan were the bloodiest since the Duterte administration launched its war against illegal drugs.

"As I said before, we have no control of the situation. We tried as much as possible to eliminate those factors that will lead us to a bloody encounter," said Bulacan police director Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat.

"They are notorious. When you say notorious, hardened criminals ang mga ito. Siga-siga ang mga ito. 'Di talaga papahuli ng buhay. Ginagawa na nilang hanapbuhay 'yung pagbebenta ng shabu kaya kapit sa patalim ang mga ito," he added.

Aside from the 32 killed, 107 individuals were arrested.

Authorities also seized P1.174 million worth of shabu, 765 grams of marijuana leaves, 34 firearms, two grenades, and 114 rounds of live ammunition.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier hailed the operations' high death toll. "Pumatay lang tayo ng 32 every day," he said during the commemoration of the 19th anniversary of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) in Malacañang on Wednesday. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News