2 suspected drug pushers shot dead in Laguna 

LAGUNA, Philippines — Two suspected drug pushers were shot dead in separate buy-bust operations in Laguna province, police said Friday.

Col. Eleazar Matta, Laguna police director said  Rolando Castillo, a suspected drug pusher, was killed in when he engaged police officers in a shootout during a drug bust in San Pablo City.

According to Matta, Castillo, a native of Lucena City, Quezon, was included in the police watchlish for illegal drug pushers.

Matta said Castillo opened fire at police officers during the bust that happened at around 10:45 p.m. Thursday in Barangay (village) San Pedro.

Police recovered from Castillo a  9 mm pistol and a small pouch that contained a still undetermined amount of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth).

Meanwhile, in Sta. Cruz town, another suspected drug pusher, Von Ryan Castillo (not related to Rolando) was killed in a shootout with police officers on Wednesday evening.

Matta said police officers were serving Castillo his arrest warrant when he opened fire at the operatives.

Von Ryan was hit when the officers fired back. Police said Castillo died on the way to the Laguna Medical Center. /muf