2 suspected drug pushers killed, 2 nabbed in separate Ecija buy busts

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines –- Two drug suspects were killed and two others were arrested in separate police operations in Nueva Ecija on Saturday (Dec. 29), police said.

Police said suspect Oliver Tapang was killed in a 4:50 a.m. shootout with undercover police officers during a buy bust at Purok 2, in Barangay (village) Sta. Arcadi, said Supt. Ponciano Zafra, Cabanatuan City police chief.

At 8:10 p.m. in Palayan City, Mark Anthony Ang was also killed in a shootout with police officers during a drug bust at Sitio Pinaltakan in Barangay Caballero.

Police said Ang became “hostile when he noticed that the persons he was dealing with were police officers.”

Meanwhile, earlier in Bongabon town, police detained Jayffy Binuya, 34, for selling a sachet of shabu (crystal meth) to an undercover police officer in Barangay Curva at 12:05 a.m.

In Aliaga town at 1:35 p.m., suspect Julius Bangit, 38, was arrested for alleged possession of two sachets of shabu during a drug bust. /muf