4 Taguig shootout suspects identified

MANILA, Philippines - The four robbery suspects who were killed in a reported shootout with police in Taguig City Saturday night allegedly belonged to the “Rudy Peralta” gang, police said yesterday.

Taguig City Police Chief Senior Superintendent Camilo Cascolan said identification cards recovered from the bodies state that the slain suspects were Jose Peralta of Barangay Botocan, Quezon City; Jerry Ibañez Merdejia, Jr. of Bacoor, Cavite; Gilbert Requillas and Ruben Montes, both of Moonwalk in Talon 5, Las Piñas City.

Police said the Peralta gang was responsible for a string of robbery cases.

Reports stated that police officers from the Southern Police District and the Taguig City police received a tip that the gang was planning to rob a branch of a courier service firm along MRT Avenue and will pass through Bayani Road.

Police flagged down the suspects, who were in a white Toyota Corolla, along Bayani Road. The suspects fired at approaching policemen, triggering a shootout along Bayani Road at about 4:30 p.m.

Police said a fifth suspect, who escaped during the shootout, escaped in the Toyota Corolla, which bore no license plates.

Police recovered from the crime scene two MK-2 fragmentation grenades, two .45 caliber pistols, two .38 revolvers and several certificates of registration and official receipts of different kinds of vehicles. Police are checking whether the vehicles identified on the certificates and receipts had been stolen.