Robbery group leader killed

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A leader of a notorious robbery group in Negros Island Region was killed in a police shootout in Hinoba-an town, Negros Occidental, Wednesday.

Police identified the fatality as 30-year-old Jimmer Dinglasa, of Bayawan City in Negros Oriental but was temporarily residing at Barangay Bulwangan in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.

Senior Inspector Robert Indiape, Hinoba-an Police chief, said Dinglasa resisted arrest after authorities were about to serve him with arrest warrants for carnapping and two counts of robbery.

Dinglasa ran after seeing the police, prompting the latter to fire a warning shot but the suspect refused to yield and fired back instead. He was eventually hit on the head and died on the spot.

Recovered from Dinglasa was a .38-caliber firearm with five live ammunition, and then two improvised shotguns at his house in a follow-up operation.

Indiape said Dinglasa’s twin brother, who was also facing similar criminal charges, was able to escape.

The slain suspect was the founder of the Ibasan-Dinglasa Robbery-Carnapping Group allegedly operating in the two Negros provinces.

It can be recalled that the suspect’s companion, Ricardo Ibasan, 44, of Sibulan, Negros Oriental, was also killed in a police shootout in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on May 28. —Marchel P. Espina (FREEMAN)