MANILA, Philippines – The suspected robbers who engaged the police in a gunfight Thursday in Makati City have yet to be named but the police said they have several clues about their identities.

PO2 Warren Balang of the Makati police and Noel Compoc, who was identified by the police later as Jimmy Espina, were killed in the incident.

The police later recovered at the crime scene amulets the suspects apparently wore. The items were similar to those worn by suspects in the P2.7 million heist in June on Gil Puyat Avenue. Two suspects were killed in that incident.

National Capital Region Police Office Director Geary Barias said it was highly probable that the suspects in Thursday’s incident belonged to the same group involved in the June robbery. He said an initial investigation indicated that the group came from Ozamiz City.

“Whether they are remnants of the Kuratong Baleleng or Ampang Colangco groups, we do not know,” Barias said in a press conference Friday at the Makati police headquarters.

Policemen from the cities of Makati, Mandaluyong and Quezon are working together to arrest the suspects.

The police were on patrol duty when the gunfight occurred. Balang’s team noticed a van parked on Makati Avenue. Balang approached the vehicle but the suspects opened fire.

The suspected robbers allegedly grabbed Balang’s M16 Armalite rifle. Balang’s partner, PO3 Rommel Salcedo, returned fire with his shotgun and killed Espina.

The police chased the van to Mandaluyong City where the suspects abandoned it. The police recovered three “baby” M16 Armalites, Balang’s rifle and a grenade launcher.