Alleged drug pusher dead in Laguna buy-bust

SAN PEDRO CITY –– A suspected drug pusher was killed in a shootout with the police in Lumban town in Laguna province.

In a text message Thursday, Laguna police chief Col. Eleazar Matta identified the slain suspect as Reynante Coralde, a resident of Barangay San Juan, Kalayaan town.

Matta also said that Coralde, who had been previously detained on drug charges, was a known “big time” drug dealer in the fourth district of the province.

According to police, the buy-bust operation happened at 10:40 p.m. Wednesday at the highway in Barangay Bagong Silang.

Coralde agreed to sell two sachets of suspected “shabu” (crystal meth) to undercover policemen when he suddenly drew a gun from his sling bag and fired.

Police shot back and killed him instantly, Matta said.

Ten more sachets of alleged shabu from the suspect’s bag worth about P250,000 was also found in the suspect’s possession.