Drug suspect dies

One of the suspects involved in a shootout resulting from a bungled anti-drug operation died at a Manila hospital late Friday night.

Eric Diño, 38, died at around 6:40 p.m. at the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of the Metropolitan Hospital, according to Dr. Allan Chua.

Diño suffered gunshot wounds in the left eye and nose and died of cardiac arrest.

He and Enrique Esguerra, 43, were shot by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) after they killed police asset Richard Elnar during a buy-bust operation in Binondo, Manila early Friday.

The buy-bust took place inside a gray Toyota Hilux (XGU-201) parked atop the Sabino Padilla Bridge at around 2:25 a.m.

Reynaldo Jaylo, chief of PDEA Hunter Task Force, said Diño and Eguerra shot the police asset acting as buyer after they discovered that some of the bills were actually "boodle money."

Jaylo and his men, who approached the van upon hearing gunshots were also fired upon, forcing them to retaliate. – Cecille Suerte Felipe