2 alleged guns-for-hire killed in shootout with Nueva Ecija police

MANILA, Philippines – Two of four alleged members of a gun-for-hire and robbery group were killed in a shootout with authorities in Nueva Ecija Tuesday night, a police official said Wednesday.

Superintendent Pedro Soliba, chief of the Munoz police, said that they were conducting visibility patrol when they chanced upon the armed suspects on board motorcycles along Munoz-Lupao Road in Rizal village, Munoz City at around 11:30 p.m.

Soliba said the suspects sped away as police approached them, prompting the chase.

“Nagkaroon ng habulan hanggang sa nacorner sila [There was a chase until they were cornered],” said Soliba.

He said that the two of the suspects John Parica, 50, and Ruben Valdevino, 40, were eventually killed in the encounter while two of their accomplices managed to escape.

“Mabilis talaga yung motor, hindi nahuli ng pulis kahit naka-mobile sila [The motorcycles were really fast, police couldn’t catch them even if they were riding their mobile cars],” Soliba stated.

Parica led a gun-for-hire, robbery and holdup group in the area, Soliba said, adding that they found a sketch inside his wallet of a possible target that night.

“Mukhang may titirahin sila, nakuha sa pitaka ni Parica yung sketch ng directions papunta sa bahay ng kapitan ng Barangay San Felipe [It looked like they were targeting someone because a sketch of the directions going to the house of the San Felipe village captain was seen in his wallet],” he said.

Recovered from the slain suspects were two caliber .45 pistols.

A dragnet operation is underway for the possible arrest of the two remaining suspects.