By Aaron Recuenco and Jerry Alcayde The aggressive anti-illegal drugs campaign in Metro Manila has reached MIMAROPA (Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), following the assumption of Chief Superintendent Tomas Apolinario as the regional director of the Police Regional 4-B. (COMMONS WIKIMEDIA/ MANILA BULLETIN) Two suspected drug pushers were killed while 13 others, including four fugitives, were arrested in the series of operations in Oriental Mindoro and Palawan the past four days. Apolinario said drug suspect, Marlon Calica, was killed after he allegedly pulled out a gun on buy-bust operatives in San Teodoro town, Oriental Mindoro. “His companion was able to elude arrest on board a motorcycle. Our men are now hunting him down,” said Apolinario, adding that a .45 pistol, 12 sachets of suspected “shabu,” and the marked P1,000 bill in Calica’s possession were collected at the scene of the shootout. In Marinduque, Apolinario said six more people were collared, including an employee of the Provincial Capitol of Marinduque identified as Fernan Estano, for possession of illegal drugs. Last Thursday, joint elements of the Puerto Princesa City Police Office, the Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO)-Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) set an entrapment against drug suspect, Jeffrey Orbiso, alias “Diva.” But in the middle of the buy-bust operation, Orbiso sensed he was dealing with a police operative and drew his firearm. The team had no other recourse, but fire at Orbiso. He was wounded and taken to the Ospital ng Palawan, but declared dead on arrival by Dr. Joana Naval. Seized by police were his .38-caliber pistol, two sachets of “shabu,” buy-bust money worth P1,200 and cash totaling P30,500.