Drug suspect, two suspected thieves killed in shootout with Ecija police

CABANATUAN CITY—A drug suspect and two alleged thieves were killed in three separate shootouts with police in Nueva Ecija on Sunday, March 18.

Marlon Castro, 27, died in a shootout with policemen at 7:30 p.m. in San Jose City. He was reportedly earlier charged for stealing motorcycles.

Castro died days after his brothers Mariano and Jeffrey were arrested at a police checkpoint while onboard a stolen motorcycle on March 3, police said. The two men were also carrying shoulder bags and backpacks loaded with assorted goods which the police said were also stolen.

Meanwhile at the by-pass road in Talavera town, Alberto Peralta, 47, reportedly fired at arresting policemen during a drug buy-bust and was shot dead. Recovered from Peralta were three sachets of suspected shabu and a caliber .45 pistol.

At 1 a.m. in this city, Jomar Cervantes died in a shootout with policemen who accosted him at a checkpoint along the Vergara Highway. He was reportedly on a tricyle that was stolen from a resident of Talavera town. Recovered from him was a caliber .38 revolver.