Five suspected drug peddlers were killed after reportedly engaging police enforcers in a gunbattle in two separate buy-bust operations in Calumpit, Bulacan and Talavera, Nueva Ecija on Monday.
Joint elements of the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) of the Bulacan Provincial Police Office (BPPO) and Calumpit police conducted a buy-bust operation at Purok 6, Brgy. Pungo, Calumpit against the suspects identified only as @ Jay and his unidentified cohort which resulted in a firefight causing the instantaneous deaths of the suspects.
Recovered from the crime scene were 1 caliber .45 pistol; 1 caliber .38 revolver; 1 brown sling bag; fired cartridge cases of different calibers and 1 medium-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.
Members of the Drug Enforcement Team of Talavera Police Station (SDEU) and PIU-NEPPO conducted an anti-illegal drugs operation at Brgy. La Torre, Talavera, Nueva Ecija against Danilo Lim Botones, who is listed in the unified drugs watch list; Roland Mainquiz, and Leo Maniquiz Angeles, all of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The police anti-illegal drugs operation turned into a firefight that led to the deaths of the suspects.
Pieces of evidence recovered were one caliber 45 pistol with no serial number; two caliber 38 revolvers; empty cartridge cases of firearms; two pieces of P500 buy-bust money, and one piece of a small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.