CABANATUAN CITY -- A suspected drug peddler was shot dead when he resisted arrest and turned hostile during a buy-bust operation conducted in Palayan City on Monday night.

Police identified the slain suspect as Nino Bernardino, alias Onin, of Bgy. M.S. Garcia, this city.

He was neutralized in a drug operation in Bgy. Imelda Valley at 9:40 p.m. Police recovered at least 10 plastic sachets containing shabu from his possession, including a cal.38 revolver with three fired bullets and two live bullets.

After the drug deal, Col. Leon Victor Z. Rosete, provincial police head, said the suspect pulled out a gun and traded shots with undercover officers, who were able to return fire and hit him, causing his instantaneous death.

Meanwhile, the Talavera police nabbed yesterday shortly after midnight a suspected drug pusher identified as Diony Mamaed, 24, vendor, of Bgy. San Ricardo.

He was busted in a drug operation in Bgy. Dimasalang Norte at 12:10 a.m. wherein some 10 plastic sachets containing shabu were seized from him by the police.