The police shot dead an alleged robber during a dragnet operation in Valenzuela City Saturday afternoon.
Valenzuela City police chief Senior Superintendent Ranier Idio said Arnel Jurial Carasco, a resident of Meycauayan, Bulacan, yielded a .38 caliber revolver with bullets.
Police also recovered from the suspect a stolen red Honda motorcycle (CO-7480) owned by money lender Surender Pal Singh, 38, an Indian national and a resident of Barangay Parada, also in Valenzuela.
Police Officer 3 Richard Bautista said that at around 12:30 p.m., Singh sought the assistance of Police Community Precinct 7 police officers, saying two armed men robbed him of P4,500 and escaped with his motorcycle in Barangay Lawang Bato.
A flash alarm was immediately coordinated to the whole local police force to intercept Singh’s motorcycle. Thirty minutes later, the men of Chief Inspector Danilo Bugay, Valenzuela City police intelligence and investigation chief, spotted Singh’s motorcycle crossing an overpass en route to Canumay West with only one rider.
Police flagged down the rider, who jumped off the motorcycle and hid inside the Lace Trading Center. When he was cornered, Carasco reportedly shot at the lawmen, who fired back.
Police recovered a .38 caliber revolver loaded with three live bullets and a spent shell, P590 cash, and Singh’s motorcycle from the slain suspect.
Idio said at least 12 more Indian national money lenders – Jagsit, Molinder, Captain, Satnam, Manpreet, Jagbir, Balkar, Gurpal, Ranjit, Angret, Randep and Mardes, all surnamed Singh – identified Carasco as one of the armed men who robbed them recently.
The police are still hunting down Carasco’s cohort, who they said could be in hiding in Barangays Bignay, Lawang Bato, or Punturin. – Pete Laude