Shootout in QC: 5 carjackers killed

Anti-carjacking operatives of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) killed five men in a shootout near the corner of Kamuning and Tomas Morato Avenue the other night, a police official said yesterday.

Superintendent Roger James Brillantes, chief of the QCPD District Intelligence Division, said the slain carjackers, who remained unidentified as of press time, had forcibly taken a taxi, resulting in a brief chase with police.

Brillantes said the suspects held up the driver of a Reno Taxi (PWM 304) along NIA road near the National Printing Office (NPO) in Quezon City then forcibly took the vehicle.

Police operatives, who were alerted on the incident, quickly set up a blocking force. A team from the QCPD anti-carjacking unit spotted the taxi speeding toward Timog Avenue and gave chase.

Brillantes said when police tried to force the taxi to stop, they were fired upon by the occupants. The pursuing lawmen then returned fire.

Four of the suspects were killed on the spot while a fifth suspect was declared dead on arrival at the East Avenue Medical Center.

Police recovered two handguns as well as the wallet and cell phone belonging to taxi driver Regino Dahuman.

The driver identified the slain suspects as the same men who held him up and took his taxi.

In Las Piñas City, four suspected motorcycle thieves have been arrested by the elements of the Las Piñas police Anti-Carnapping Division.

Inspector Nicolas Maamo, Anti-Carnapping Division deputy chief, identified the suspects as Tomas Lopez, 21, of Barangay Zapote, Las Piñas; Allen Wagon, 19, of Baclaran, Parañaque; Eric de la Cruz, 26, of Baclaran, Parañaque; and Rolando Baao, 18, of Talon 2, Las Piñas.

Maamo said Lopez and his girlfriend Wagon were apprehended by a team led by Inspector Arnold Alabastro at around 1 p.m. last Wednesday at a house on Sunflower street in Manuela Subdivision, Pamplona 2, Las Piñas.

Suspects De la Cruz and Baao, were nabbed at around 8 p.m. after operatives went back to the area in a follow-up operation. Several motorcycles and motorcycle parts were seized from the house.

Maamo said Allan Chua, 39, earlier reported to police that his motorcycle — a Honda XRM (UP-2830) was taken by unidentified suspects.

Police later conducted surveillance operations in the area, where the four suspects were frequently seen.

A team from the Anti-Carnapping Division was dispatched to arrest the four suspects.

Maamo said the suspects were turned over to the Parañaque police since most of the motorcycle thefts, including the one involving Chua’s Honda XRM, took place in Parañaque.

He said Lopez’s group steals motorcycles not only in Las Piñas and Parañaque, but in Pasay and Makati. The license plates of the stolen motorcycles are tampered so they can later sell the vehicles.

Appropriate charges are being readied against the suspects, who are now detained at the Parañaque police station. – With Rhodina Villanueva