Rob suspect makes fatal jump from overpass to evade arrest

Two suspected robbers died in an encounter with policemen early morning yesterday in Quezon City, with one of them jumping off an overpass to evade arrest.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU), said both of the suspects remain unidentified. They were estimated to be in their early 30s.

In a report, Mabanag said the encounter happened just before 5 a.m. at the corner of Commonwealth and Luzon Avenues in Barangay Old Balara just as the suspects had just robbed a female service crew who was waiting for a ride.

The suspects grabbed the bag of Gemma Miralles then ran towards an overpass to get to the opposite side of Commonwealth Avenue.

Miralles shouted for help as she chased the suspects, catching the attention of QCPD-CIDU police officers led by Superintendent Gerardo Ratuita.

According to Mabanag, policemen had been conducting surveillance operations in the area due to reported rampant incidents of snatching.

The policemen chased the suspects, one of whom opened fire with a .22 caliber revolver. The policemen fired back, hitting the suspect.

The other suspect, who was armed with only a fan knife, jumped off the overpass, and was killed when his head and body hit the pavement.

The victim identified the suspects as the ones who robbed her. Policemen recovered Miralles’ bag from the suspects.