SAN JOSE CITY — A joint anti-criminality operation by the Nueva Ecija police and the intelligence operatives of the Lupao police resulted in armed encounter where two alleged gun-for-hire suspects were killed, police said yesterday.
Provincial police director Col. Marvin Joe C. Saro said the gunfight erupted in Zone 4, Bgy. Sto. Tomas at 10:15 p.m.
The two suspected hired guns, identified as alias Bong and Bigboy, traded shots with police operatives under the supervision of Lt. Col. Heryl Bruno, Lt. Col. Criselda Y. De Guzman, and Capt. Ronan Jame Eblahan, respectively, of the Nueva Ecija provincial intelligence office, San Jose City and the Lupao police station.
The ensuing gunbattle left the two suspects dead, said Saro.
Saro tagged the two slain suspects as members of a gun-for-hire group operating in the province and nearby areas.
Police also recovered at the encounter site two cal. 45 pistols, four spent shells for cal. 9mm, three slugs for cal. 45 pistol, a brown Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV with no license plates, and a blue Kawasaki Bajaj motorcycle.
Saro said the successful operation was an offshoot of intense intelligence-gathering conducted by his men to thwart the illegal activities perpetrated by lawless elements in the province as per strict orders from Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Valeriano T. De Leon.
