LUCENA CITY – Two drug suspects were killed while three others were arrested in separate police operations in Quezon province on Saturday.
Police Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon provincial police chief, said that Rex Carubio and Philip Natividad, both residents of Muntinlupa City, were killed in a shootout with police officers who staged a drug bust in Barangay Kulapi in Lucban town at around 12:30 a.m.
Invesrigation showed that Carubio sold a pack of shabu (crystal meth) to an undercover police officer.
The suspect reportedly drew a .45 caliber pistol and opened fire when he apparently sensed that an operation was ongoing. A police officer returned fire and fatally wounded Carubio.
Natividad sped off in his car but was eventually cornered and traded shots with the pursuing lawmen, resulting in his death.
In Lopez town, authorities nabbed Ronaldo Mendoza, a former drug surrenderer, in another buy-bust operation at around 1:20 a.m.
In Tiaong town, two other drug suspects, Carlito Cinco and Christian Perocho, were also busted in Barangay Talisay around 1:45 a.m.