4 dead in Laguna buy-bust

SAN PEDRO CITY –– Four suspected drug pushers were killed in separate buy-bust operations in Laguna province early Wednesday.

Twenty-eight others were arrested during the 12-hour conduct of the Simultaneous Anti-Criminality and Law Enforcement Operation, said Col. Eleazar Matta, Laguna police chief.

Matta, in a text message, said most of those arrested were allegedly involved in illegal drugs pushing.

In Calamba City, Renato Norvaez and Andrew Diatao, both residents of Barangay Paciano, were killed in a buy-bust operation around 2 a.m. in Barangay Bucal.

Matta said during the sting operation, the suspects drew and fired their guns in an attempt to escape arrest but the police returned fire and killed them both.

In Cabuyao City, Roberto Patricio Jr., 56, was also killed in a shootout around 1:40 a.m. in Barangay Banlic.

The police recovered a .38-caliber gun from the suspect and a sachet of suspected shabu (crystal meth), which Patricio allegedly sold to an undercover police officer.

In San Pedro City, a man identified only by his alias “Meng” was killed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Nueva around midnight.

Police said the suspect opened fire with a .45-caliber gun, forcing them to shoot him down. Maricar Cinco