4 killed in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan drug stings

Four men were killed and more than P630,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized in separate buy-bust operations in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, police reported Saturday.

Among those killed was Joselito Candelaria, a resident of San Josef Norte, Cabanatuan City, who was included in the local police’s drug watchlist, according to reports from the Nueva Ecija provincial police.

 

Members of the city police carried out the operation against Candelaria in Barangay Kapitan Pepe around 11:10 p.m. Friday.

Candelaria pulled out a gun and fired while he was about to be arrested, so operatives retaliated, police said.

Operatives seized some 40.35 grams or P274,380 worth of suspected shabu, a caliber-.45 pistol, and a motorcycle from the slain suspect.

Hours earlier, one Rodrigo Salazar, a 27-year-old jeepney driver, was killed when he also allegedly shot it out with police who conducted a buy-bust in Barangay Poblacion Sur, Talavera, around 5:30 p.m.

Some 15 grams or P102,000 worth of suspected shabu, a pistol, and a motorcycle were confiscated from the suspect.

In Bulacan, suspects Roderick San Pedro, 36, and Hesus San Roque, 43, were killed after they allegedly engaged lawmen in a shootout in Barangay Bunlo, Bocaue, around 5 a.m.

About 8 grams or P54,400 worth of suspected shabu, two caliber-.38 revolvers, a motorcycle, and two belt bags were confiscated from the slain suspects, according to the Bulacan provincial police.

Meanwhile, the Nueva Ecija PNP said lawmen arrested 18 other drug suspects and confiscated a total of 27.22 grams or P200,300 more worth of shabu from them, during separate buy-bust operations across the province also on Friday.

Forty-eight more drug suspects were arrested and over 250 sachets of suspected shabu and marijuana were seized in Bulacan the same day, the provincial police said.