MANILA— Four Chinese nationals were killed Tuesday morning in a joint drug bust operation of police and anti-drug agents in Zambales, yielding over 500 kilos of suspected meth or shabu worth P3.4 billion, the government's biggest drug haul for the year.

Operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 3 and the Philippine National Police Regional Office 3 raided a resort in Barangay Libertador, Candelaria, Zambales that led to a shootout between the Chinese suspects and authorities.

"During the buy bust operation nagkaroon ng barilan so itong mga suspect ay nagpaputok dun sa ating mga operatiba. So nagresulta sa isang encounter na ang naging resulta ay pagkamatay nitong apat na Chinese nationals," PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said.

(During the operation, the suspects fired shots at the operatives that forced them to fight back. This resulted in the death of the 4 Chinese nationals.)

The foreigners killed were identified as Gao Manzhu, Hong Jianshe, and Eddie Tan from Fujian, China, and Youhua Xu, a resident of Quezon City.

Eleazar said the Chinese nationals in the resort have been under surveillance for a long time prior to Tuesday's drug bust.

"Base sa mga impormasyon na nakuha, ito’y ibinabagsak sa international waters and then accordingly nakalagay sa sako na lumulutang-lutang, nakatali at sinasabi na hinihila papunta sa dalampasigan," Eleazar said.

(Based on information we have gathered, the drugs are being unloaded in international waters and then pulled back to shore through strings attached to the sacks.)

Authorities recovered in the resort some 25 sacks of alleged drugs, each weighing 20 kilos.

These drugs were set to be repacked in tea bags and would be distributed all over the Philippines, the PNP said.

Also seized in the crime scene are 4 guns, 4 cellphones, 2 Chinese passports, and 1 SUV.

Police are investigating where the drugs are supposed to be sent.

— Reports from Wheng Hidalgo, ABS-CBN News