GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – More than two kilos of suspected shabu were seized and two persons were killed in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sto. Cristo Sur, this city at about 3:30 p.m. Friday.

The suspects were identified as Percival Miranda, an alleged military sergeant and resident of the said village, and Dennis Kue, of Barangay Las Piñas, Peñaranda town, this province.

Brig. Ge n . Valeriano de Leon, Central Luzon police director, said a total of two kilos and 58 grams of shabu worth PHP13 million, were recovered in the antidrug sting hatched by the local police and the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) led by Brig. Gen. Remus Medina.

"It was a result of a very long intelligence operation of the PDEG," de Leon said in an interview, adding it was connected with previous successful operations in the region.

He said the operatives were left with no recourse but to defend themselves after the suspects allegedly initiated the gunfight, he said.

Also recovered at the crime scene were the suspects' pistols.

Medina said a cohort of the two slain suspects eluded arrest and is now the subject of a pursuit oper at i o n .

Col. Jaime Santos, Nueva Ecija police director, said they continue to wage relentless anti-crime operations in accordance with the order of de Leon. (PNA)