2 motorcycle-riding men slain in shootout

MANILA, Philippines - Two unidentified men riding a motorcycle died in a shootout with police officers at a checkpoint in Barangay Lagro, Quezon City before dawn yesterday.

Chief Inspector Rolando Lorenzo said he and members of the Quezon City Police District’s Special Traffic Group were manning the checkpoint in front of the San Lorenzo Hospital when they spotted the men.

They tried to flag down the suspects to check their papers, but the two men refused and sped off. When the police officers gave chase, the suspects shot at them, triggering a shootout, Lorenzo said.

Prior to the shootout, a robbery was reported at the intersection of Timog and Quezon Avenues at around midnight yesterday.

Kimberly Azano, who reported the robbery at the Kamuning police station, identified the slain suspects as the same men who robbed her.

Rechie Alar identified the motorcycle used by the suspects as the one taken from him at gunpoint by two men on North Avenue before 10 p.m. on Aug. 16.

A .38 caliber revolver, with six misfired cartridges in its cylinder, and a homemade pistol with four bullets and two shells were recovered from the suspects, police said.