BAGUIO CITY - A high-value target drug suspect was gunned down after allegedly attempting to engage police officers in a shoot-out during a buy-bust operation, Thursday evening.

The suspect, identified as Ryan Dave Almora, 33, was shot dead in his own house in Barangay Upper Crystal Cave.

Almora is considered third highest value target drug personality of Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Baguio City.

According to Police Senior Inspector Melenium Bantas, chief of police of Baguio City Police Office station 10, Almora pulled out a hand gun and fired at the operatives after recognizing a police officer in a supposed buy-bust operation.

In defense, the police fired at the suspect resulting to three gunshot wounds in his chest.

An Astra .22 Magnum revolver with four live ammunition and two empty bullets were obtained from the crime scene.

Authorities were also able to seize six plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, eight glass tooters, lighters, cellphones, plastic wrappers, one digital weighing scale, and other drug paraphernalia.

Authorities said Almora was a member of the Lakay drug group involved in selling illegal drugs in most of the provinces in the Cordillera region.

Bantas said the sale of illegal drugs happened in Almora’s house and was proven by several test-buys conducted by the city's anti-illegal drugs special operation unit.

“'Yung transaction dun mismo sa bahay so dun talaga kumukuha ang parokyano niya ng shabu. Actually, bago naman nagkaroon ng buy-bust, nagkaroon muna ng test-buy pa nating ginawa dun sa subject at dun mismo sa bahay niya”, he said.

Aside from drug paraphernalia, the police recovered various motorcycle parts dumped at the back of his house.

Police are now considering the possibility that the motorcycle parts recovered were stolen.