2 cops slain in Batangas checkpoint

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – Seven suspected communist guerrillas killed two junior police officers in a shootout at a checkpoint in Balayan, Batangas last Tuesday, police said.

A belated report reaching Chief Superintendent Gil Meneses, Calabarzon police director, identified the two slain lawmen as PO1s Oliver Ilagan, 28, and Christopher Tria, both belonging to the First Maneuver Platoon of the Provincial Safety Company.

Ilagan died on the spot while Tria was declared dead on arrival at the Western Batangas Medical Center.

Chief Inspector Elpidio Ramirez, Balayan police chief, said two men riding tandem on a motorcycle fired at the two lawmen manning a checkpoint at the Barangay Ermita junction at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Though wounded, Ilagan and Tria were able to shoot back, hitting one of their attackers. They were unaware though that the two had five other armed companions, Ramirez said.

He said the armed men carted away the policemen’s M-16 rifle and caliber .45 pistol and commandeered their patrol car to evacuate their wounded companion.

A patrol car from the Tuy police happened to pass by Balayan town at this point, and the fleeing armed men also shot it out with the Tuy policemen.

The armed men were forced to leave behind their motorcycle and the patrol car that they had commandeered, and fled on foot toward a mountainous area.

Ramirez said the military and police were pursuing the armed men and looking for their wounded companion in hospitals in nearby towns.