CABANATUAN CITY – Four suspected drug pushers and gun runners were killed in separate buy-bust operations in Nueva Ecija before dawn Monday.
Police identified the suspects who reportedly initiated gun fights with anti-drugs operatives as Samuel Catacutan, of Barangay Camp Tino; Michael Rivera of Barangay Imelda; and Ricky Samin, of Barangay Bantug Norte, all of this city, and a ceratin “alias Mico.”
They were all of legal age, police said.
City police chief Lt. Col. Barnard Danie Dasugo said Catacutan died of gunshot wounds after an exchange of fire with police after selling one sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover cop in Barangay Barrera at about 1:40 a.m.
Rivera and “alias Mico”, on the other hand, were killed after engaging lawmen in an exchange of fire after allegedly selling a handgun in Barangay MS Garcia here at around 12:40 a.m, Dasugo said.
“The suspects sensed that they were dealing with the undercover operatives and immediately engaged thepolice operatives who were trying to arrest them in a fire fight, prompting the latter to retaliate causing the death of the two suspects,” Dasugo reported.
Samin reportedly fell in a buy–bust operation in Barangay Mapangpang in the northern Nueva Ecija town of Lupao.
Two sachets of suspected shabu, three .38 revolvers and a .9mm pistol were recovered from the suspects, police said.
