4 drug suspects killed in Ecija stings
CABANATUAN CITY — Four suspected drug peddlers were neutralized after engaging undercover operatives in gunfights during separate buy-bust operations conducted in this city, in Talavera and in Lupao, Nueva Ecija on Friday.
In this city, Lt. Col. Barnard Danie Dasugo said the armed encounter which transpired in Purok Amihan, Bgy. Barrera at 12:50 a.m. resulted in the death of Francis Liwanag, 37, of Purok 3, Bgy. San Juan ACCFA.
Liwanag fought off Dasugo’s men after sensing he was selling shabu to a police poseur buyer.
Probers recovered at the encounter site a homemade cal. 45 pistol, six spent bullets for cal. 9mm, a fired bullet for caliber 45, a live ammo of cal. 45, one plastic sachet containing shabu and the suspect’s black Honda TMX motorcycle with skeleton sidecar.
In Talavera, the two slain suspects were identified as Reyelito Ramos, 42, alias Rey, of Bgy. Esguerra and Jonathan Miranda, 37, hardware helper, of Purok Alitaptap, Bgy. D.S. Garcia, Cabanatuan City.
Lt. Col. Heryl L. Bruno, town police head, said the duo were killed after turning hostile during separate stings conducted by his men and the Nueva Ecija police drug enforcement unit.
Ramos resisted arrest and engaged undercover operatives in a gunfight after selling shabu in Bgy. Bantug Hacienda at 12:15 a.m. Friday.
Miranda was neutralized following a buy-bust in Bgy. La Torre at 6 p.m. Friday wherein he sold P500-worth of shabu to an undercover operative.
Bruno said Miranda was included in the NEPPO unified drugs watchlist as a pusher/user and had been under surveillance for several weeks for his illicit activities.
In Lupao, killed was Ruben Galvez, a suspected drug peddler, of Bgy. San Isidro, Cabanatuan City.
Col. Jaime O. Santos, provincial police director said Galvez died on the spot after a firefight with anti-illegal drug operatives following a sting conducted in Bgy. San Antonio Este at 11:30 p.m. Friday.
