3 taxi robbers slain in shootout with cops

Three suspected robbers were killed during an encounter with members of the Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group Intelligence Division (PNP-TMGID) early yesterday morning in Quezon City.

The fatalities were identified as Larry Cayma, 25; Rey Tabuldo, 27; and Narciso Torejos, 27.

The incident took place at around 2:25 a.m. at the corner of Mindanao and Commonwealth Avenues.

Prior the shootout, the suspects flagged down a Lady Allen taxi (PWF-711). Upon reaching Teacher’s Village, the suspects then declared a heist and took the vehicle being driven by a certain Alex Madrid.

The driver immediately sought assistance from policemen, who tracked down the stolen taxi.

When elements of the PNP-TMG spotted the cab, they tried to approach the men inside, but the suspects fired shots at the officers, resulting in a shootout.

Police recovered three caliber .38 handguns from the slain suspects.

Hostage taking

A suspect in a 20-minute hostage drama that turned into a shootout in Cubao, Quezon City yesterday left the suspect wounded along with two policemen.

Police Officer 1 Diosdado Campos, of the Regional Special Action Unit of the NCRPO that augmented elements of Central Police District-Station 7 during the operation, and the suspect identified only as Gilbert, of Pasig City, were seriously wounded. PO1 Rodolfo Chen, of the CPD-SWAT, sustained a minor injury in his finger.

The hostages, identified only as Anna Michelle and Maria Lagda of Project 4, remained in shock even after lawmen rescued them unharmed.

Superintendent Benigno Durana, chief of CPD-Station 7, that around 11:30 a.m., the suspect, allegedly high on drugs, grabbed the service firearm of a security guard of a fast food chain at the Farmer’s Market along EDSA

This resulted in a scuffle between the guard and the suspect, which led to a chase.

While running away with the firearm, the suspect spotted several CPD-Station 7 beat patrollers in the area. He took two women hostage, thereby capturing the attention of the officers.

Lawmen tried to negotiate with the suspect for the release of the victims but the suspect fired at them, resulting in a shootout.