Robber slain in shootout as accomplices escape

A suspected robber was shot and killed in a shootout with policemen after he and two others allegedly robbed a passenger jeepney along Katipunan Street, barangay Tisa, the other night, while another man was shot dead in vigilante-style killing in barangay Capitol Site earlier.

The suspected robber killed in the shootout was identified as Francis Joel Romero, 18, a resident of sitio Callejon, barangay Labangon. Police recovered from his possession two cellular phones allegedly taken from his victims.

Police said he was with a certain "Angel" and "Harvey" when they robbed a jeepney near La Paloma Village, barangay Labangon and took the belongings of passengers Marlon Abella, 23; Rosco Cabredo, 22; Paping Alconton, 45 and Loreto Tabares, 35.

The robbers took Abella's gold bracelet worth P1,500, Cabredo's silver ring worth P600 and the cellphones of Alconton and Tabares which were later recovered from the fatality while his accomplices escaped with the rest of the loot.

According to ABS-CBN, Abella claimed he grabbed the .38 cal. revolver of one of the robbers during the robbery and fired it into the air to alert the police.

PO1 Mark Manlosa of the Traffic Group, who was on his way home, heard the shot and used his motorcycle to block jeepney and gave chase to the escaping robbers.

Members of the responding Theft and Robbery Section, Vice Control Section, Mobile Patrol Group and policemen from Punta Princesa Police were then dispatched to the alarm.

VCS chief S/Insp. George Ylanan was on roving patrol in the South Coastal Road when he received the alarm and proceeded to the area.

Ylanan said when they arrived at the scene they saw Manlosa's motorcycle blocking the jeepney and saw the policeman chasing someone, they joined the chase and this led to a shootout that ended with the suspect getting shot in the left thigh and left side of his chest.

Police rushed him to Cebu City Medical Center but he was declared dead on arrival.

Ylanan denied reports from dyAB yesterday morning that they salvaged Romero and intentionally delayed taking him to the hospital, claiming that hospital records will prove they rushed him there.

Earlier, a 42-year-old technician was killed in a vigilante-style killing in sitio Upper Panaghiusa Villajon of barangay Capitol Site.

Police identified the victim as Jovert Sta. Ana, a resident of the said place who was drinking with his neighbors when two helmeted men on a motorcycle arrived and shot him several times.

The victim was hit in the left thigh and left armpit and was rushed to CCMC by his neighbors after the assailants left. He later died around 2 a.m.

Police recovered two deformed slugs from the crime scene, the motive behind his killing is yet unknown. - Edwin Ian Melecio