3 men slain in Manila shootout: Suspects shot at MPD convoy

MANILA, Philippines - Three suspected robbers were killed for allegedly engaging a convoy of police officers in a shootout in Quiapo, Manila yesterday morning.

None of the police officers, whose vehicles were not bullet-proof, were hurt.

Police Officer 2 Michael Marragun reported that the suspects were riding a motorcycle when they shot at the patrol car of lawmen from Manila Police District (MPD) along the southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard at about 2 a.m.

MPD police car 3308, driven by Senior Police Officer 2 Rodrigo Reyes Jr. of Station 3, was backed up by a Toyota Corolla (TPG-994) carrying another set of policemen from the Criminal Investigation and Detection  Group.

These two cars were tailed by another set of policemen riding motorcycles.

The group of police officers were allegedly set to serve a warrant of arrest against murder suspects Gerald Li and Krist John Pineda when the suspected robbers allegedly shot at them.

“As a result, lawmen onboard the police vehicle chased the fleeing suspects, who engaged them in a running gun battle that ended at the southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard. After the shootout, the robbers died on the spot,” Marragun said.

Marragun said the fatalities were earlier identified as the ones who reportedly robbed Christine Lagman, 26, and Edlen Lanao, 34.

Marragun said the suspects appeared to between 25 and 40 years old and stood between 5’4” and 5’7” tall.

The suspects carried two .38 caliber revolvers and a .22 caliber pistol as well as a black pouch containing a silver watch and P4,080 as well as a belt bag with P1,500.

Investigators also recovered four slugs, two .22 caliber shells, eight .38 caliber shells, nine 9mm shells, three .40 caliber shells and three .45 caliber shells.

Marragun said the police officers submitted their firearms for ballistics examination.