5 car theft, drug suspects slain

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — Four alleged car thieves and one drug suspect were killed in separate shootouts with responding policemen in Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan over the weekend, police said yesterday.

Superintendent Peter Dionisio, regional director for Highway Patrol Group 4-A, said the slain suspected car thieves were identified only by their aliases as Jumbo and Hatch, both residing in Barangay Canlalay in Biñan City.

Dionisio said instead of surrendering to the police when they were cornered along Sta. Teresita street at Pacita Complex IB in San Pedro City, the suspects drew their guns and opened fire on the police officers at around 1 a.m. Saturday.

Dionisio said the fatalities were notorious car thieves in the first district of Laguna.

In Rizal, two other suspected car thieves, who have yet to be identified, were killed in a shootout with police in Barangay Sta. Cruz in Antipolo City after they allegedly stole the motorcycles of two customers at a gas station.

The fatalities failed to rob the gas station along Marcos Highway.

Meanwhile, a drug suspect was killed while three others were arrested in Bulacan on Saturday night and early yesterday morning.

Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna, acting provincial director, identified the fatality as Arnold Aldiyano, alias Ar-Ar, who was the subject of a drug sting in Sitio Dike, Barangay Poblacion in Baliwag town at around 12:50 a.m. yesterday.

The suspect allegedly fired his gun at police operatives after the drug transaction and was killed when the lawmen retaliated.

Recovered from Aldiyano were a .38 caliber revolver, four plastic sachets of suspected shabu and two tea bags of suspected dried marijuana leaves.

Three others were arrested in drug stings in San Miguel and Guiguinto towns. – With Ramon Efren Lazaro