CABANATUAN CITY — Four men engaged in drug trafficking and gun-running activities were killed in separate gun battles with the police shortly after consummating the illicit deals at the wee hours of Monday morning in this city and in Lupao town.
Cabanatuan City police head Lt. Col. Barnard Danie V. Dasugo said the first armed encounter occurred in Purok 6, Bgy. M.S. Garcia at 12:40 a.m.
Killed in the firefight were two men who had just sold a .38 caliber revolver worth P2,000 to a police poseur-buyer. The slain suspects were identified as Michael Rivera, alias Pakat, of Bgy, Imelda, this city and his cohort named Mico.
Dasugo said his men tried to arrest the duo after the gun was handed to them in exchange for the P2,000. However, the duo turned hostile and fired at the undercover lawmen, forcing the latter to retaliate, resulting to the gunfight that led to the suspects’ death.
Recovered from the encounter site were a cal.38 revolver, an Armscor cal.45 pistol, a cal.9mm pistol, five fired bullets for cal.9mm, an empty slug for cal.45, and the P2,000 buy-bust money.
In the next anti-drug operation, Dasugo said killed was Samuel Catacutan, 50, of Bgy. Camp Tinio, this city, who sold P500-worth of shabu to an undercover operative.
Catacutan was neutralized during a buy-bust in Purok Amihan, Bgy. Barrera at 1:40 a.m.
In Lupao, town police head Captain Ronan James C. Eblahan identified the slain drug suspect as Ricky Samin, of Bgy. Bantog Norte, this city.
Eblahan said the suspect traded gunshots with his men after making a drug deal in Bgy. Mapangpang at 4 a.m. Monday.
