3 suspected drug pushers killed in separate Lucena buy-busts

LUCENA CITY, Philippines – An alleged drug pusher was killed – the third alleged pusher to be killed in three days — in a buy-bust operation here Wednesday night, police said.

Colonel Osmundo de Guzman, Quezon police director, in a report, said suspect Joselito Salonga was shot and killed when he reportedly resisted arrest and opened fire at police officers after selling P5,000 worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) to an undercover police officer in a bust in Barangay (village) Market View around 6:35 p.m.

Police said undercover officers were about to make the arrest when Salonga pulled out a caliber .38 gun and shot the police officer but missed. Another policeman then returned fire and killed the suspect on the spot.

Earlier at around 10:30 a.m. another alleged drug pusher, Albert Empleo Jr., was also killed after he reportedly resisted arrest and also tried to shoot the undercover police officers during the buy-bust in Barangay Ibabang Dupay.

On Monday night suspect Jun-Jun Besaen, was also gunned down after he also allegedly resisted and tried to kill the arresting officer in Barangay 4.

Police said the three slain suspects were all included in the list of local drug personalities. /muf