'Gun runner' killed in armed encounter in Pasig City

A suspected gun runner was killed in an armed encounter with the authorities during a buy-bust operation in Pasig City on Thursday evening.

Killed during the operation was a 21-year-old suspect, identified only by the alias Jiemark, along Ipil-Ipil Street, Habitat, Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City. The operation aimed to apprehend the suspect who was allegedly selling firearms.

Authorities said a series of surveillance operations led to the gun buy-bust operation, where a police officer posed as a buyer and handed over P21,000 as payment for a handgun.

Sensing that he was dealing with a police officer, the suspect pulled out his firearm and shot at the operatives. Fortunately, the police officers managed to defend themselves, returning fire that hit the suspect in different parts of his body.

The wounded suspect was rushed to Pasig City General Hospital for immediate medical attention but was declared dead on arrival.

Recovered from the crime scene were two short firearms of unknown caliber, six pieces of .45 caliber live ammunition, two empty magazines of .45 caliber, one hand grenade, 20 pieces of fake one-thousand-peso bills, two pieces of fake five-hundred-peso bills used as buy-bust money, 27 fired cartridges, one deformed slug, and one belt bag.