(UPDATED) - Eight suspected drug personalities were killed within seven hours of drug busts and anti-criminality operations in Bulacan on Wednesday, May 30.

Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, Bulacan police provincial director, said they conducted a total of 21 operations, including 18 drug busts, from 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday.

He said the simultaneous operations resulted in seven armed encounters which resulted in the killing of eight drug suspects-- one each from Obando and Pulilan and two each from the municipalities of Balagtas, Sta. Maria and Pandi.

Police also arrested 38 suspects from Bustos, Bocaue, Calumpit, Norzagaray, Malolos, Marilao, Meycauayan, Hagonoy, Paombong, Angat, Plaridel, and San Rafael.

Recovered from the said operations were at least 13 grams of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), 13 grams of marijuana and nine assorted firearms.

Heeding orders of the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership, the Bulacan police have been consistent in conducting the so-called “one-time-big time” operations.

In August 2017, 32 drug suspects were killed while about 100 were arrested when the Bulacan police conducted a 24-hour anti-criminality operations.

President Rodrigo Duterte has commended the Bulacan police for such operations.

“Yung namatay daw kanina sa Bulacan, 32, in a massive raid. Maganda ‘yun. Makapatay lang tayo ng mga (If we can kill) another 32 everyday then maybe we can reduce what ails this country,” he had said. (SunStar Philippines)