Former action star kills 2 robbers

A former action star killed two gunmen in a real-life firefight with robbers who took his family hostage in Marikina City yesterday, the police said.

Sonny Parsons, a former actor and member of the Hagibis all-male singing group of the 1970s, shot dead two suspected "Akyat Bahay" gang members and seriously wounded another after a group of six robbers broke into his home in Marikina City.

And because of his feat, Parsons, who is Jose Nabiula in real life, 43, will be awarded a "Certificate of Appreciation" by Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay during the flag raising ceremony at the Marikina City Hall on Monday.

"For standing his ground in fighting criminals, his effort should be given due recognition," said Aglipay of Parsons, a former city councilor and member of the Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVO).

Superintendent Cipriano Querol Jr., Marikina City police chief said the two slain alleged robbers remained unidentified. Their wounded companion, Joram Gacete, 24, of Batasan Hills, Fairview, Quezon City was traced to the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center where he was being treated for a gunshot wound in the stomach.

Querol said five of the six suspects, armed with knives and handguns, forced their way into Parsons’ house at the corner of Bronze and Rainbow streets in SSS Village, Marikina City while a housemaid was about to close the gate at about 6:30 a.m. The housemaid had sent off one of Parson’s children on a school bus.

Parsons was sleeping in his room when awakened by the nozzle of a caliber .357 Magnum revolver. The suspects hogtied Parsons and five others, including his two daughters.

They ransacked the house and took P130,000 in cash from a cabinet in the couple’s room, along with pieces of jewelry, cell phones and a video camera.

Parsons started conversing with the suspects and told them that they should not stay any longer in his house because a police car was conducting daily rounds of the neighborhood.

Police said the suspects left in haste and commandeered a passing passenger jeepney driven by Ben Peralta. They asked that they be taken to Marikina City proper.

Unknown to them, Parsons was able to untie himself, and then grabbed his caliber .45 automatic pistol kept in a suitcase and ran after the suspects.

Recognizing the suspects inside Peralta’s passenger jeepney, Parsons opened fire and a shootout ensued. One of the suspects was hit in the head in the first volley. He died on the spot. Although wounded, Gacete managed to flee. But Querol’s men traced him later at a hospital.

The four other robbers ran away but one of them, armed with a jungle knife turned around and came after him after realizing that Parsons had ran out of bullets. But just like in the movies, Parsons was able to disarm him in hand-to-hand combat.

Instead of giving himself up, however, the suspect tried to grab the knife but was slashed in the neck in the process. He died while being treated in a hospital.

Querol said they recovered from the slain suspects a 5110 cell phone taken from Parson’s residence, two caliber .38 revolvers, a caliber .22 revolver and seven deformed slugs. Follow-up operations also resulted in the recovery of a caliber .357 revolver, a 6210 cell phone and a Sony video camera inside a black bag.