TWO notorious drug pushers were killed Wednesday night after a gunfight with police officers in Sitio Tunga, Barangay Tanke in Talisay City.

Supt. Aileen Recla, acting Talisay City Police chief, said Junrey “Negro” Verbesada and Plapla Calapaz were reportedly connected with a big-time drug pusher that has put Barangay Tanke as his center of operations.

At around 9 p.m. last Wednesday, Recla and her operatives were conducting a drug bust against Verbesada and Calapaz.

Using a P200 buy-bust money, a police officer, who posed as a potential buyer, met with both suspects in their house at the center of the village.

When the buyer confirmed the sale, the police led by Recla immediately swooped in to arrest both pushers.

But upon seeing the police officers, the two men suddenly pulled out pistols and started firing at them, initiating a shootout.

The suspects, however, failed to hit the operatives and were instead shot.

Verbesada sustained numerous gunshot wounds, while Calapaz was shot in the head. Both men were brought to the Talisay City District Hospital but were declared dead on arrival.

Police were able to recover 28 small triangular sachets containing suspected shabu from the two men.

In an interview, Recla confirmed that Verbesada and Calapaz were reportedly cohorts of a major drug player in the barangay.

But Recla admitted that some dismissed police officers are reportedly in cahoots with the major drug player and had prevented them from conducting successful operations within Tanke due to their interference.

Recla said that with the deaths of the two suspects, it is possible that the illegal drug trade in Tanke will be lessened.

But Recla said they plan to continue operations in Tanke until its illegal drug trade will be eradicated.

She said the eradication of the illegal drug trade in Tanke is crucial because the coastal barangay is a known entry point for illegal drugs being sold in Cebu City and Bohol.