Cop, drug suspect killed in Ecija drug bust

GENERAL TINIO, NUEVA ECIJA — A police officer and a suspected drug pusher were killed in a police operation that turned violent in Barangay (village) Pias here on Monday night (July 16).

PO1 Mariano Emmanuel Caparas died from a chest wound when suspect Albert Gutierrez engaged undercover policemen in a 9:45 p.m. firefight. Caparas was declared dead on arrival at the Medicare Community Hospital here, said Chief Insp. Adriano Gabriel, town police chief.

The suspect was killed by Caparas’ fellow policemen.

Investigators said the pistol used by the suspect was government-issued that was stolen from a policeman’s vehicle in Cabiao town on July 14.

Recovered from the suspect were the gun, 1 sachet of shabu (crystal meth) and a motorcycle. ARMAND GALANG