CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - A leader of the notorious criminal group involved in the killing of two anti-drug police officers died in a shootout with authorities in Mabalacat City, this province on Wednesday. In a report, Brig. Gen. Cesar Pasiwen, director of the Police Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3), said Kenneth Flores, the leader of the Flores Criminal Group, was killed during a manhunt launched by local police, armed with an arrest warrant. around 3:40 p.m. Flores is the fifth suspect in the killing of Staff Master Sgt. Sofronio Capitle Jr. and Staff Sgt. Dominador Gacusa Jr., both members of the Mabalacat City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit, last Dec. 3. "The suspect attempted to escape and fired at the police officers who were serving the warrant of arrest for a double murder case against him. However, in the counter-response, he got shot," Pasiwen said. Col. Levi Hope Basilio, officer-in-charge of the Pampanga Police Provincial Office, said Flores was rushed to the Mabalacat District Hospital but pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician. Recovered from the crime scene were a caliber .45 pistol, a hand grenade and other pieces of evidence. The two anti-drug police officers were shot dead in Barangay Dau, Mabalacat City by five suspects following an anti-illegal drugs operation in the area. Three of the suspects were arrested hours after the slaying while the other suspect was killed in a shootout. "We did not stop conducting operations against those involved in the deaths of our two PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel and all our efforts paid off," Pasiwen said in a statement. (PNA) }