SAN PEDRO CITY — Three still unidentified men, whom police said shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire, were killed by police in the resort town of Sto. Tomas, Batangas province.
Col. Edwin Quilates, Batangas police chief, said the men have yet to be identified and their affiliation known.
But Quilates, in a phone interview on Sunday (July 7), said the men were killed in a gunfight that ended a six-hour standoff.
Qulates said police had been receiving reports about armed men being seen frequently at the village of San Pablo Nayon in Sto. Tomas, prompting a surveillance operation targeting the house where the armed men were seen staying.
On Saturday (July 6), police went to the house around 5 a.m. to check and saw the armed men inside. This prompted a call for backup by policemen who went to the house, Quilates said.
The police team asked the men to yield, which led to a standoff that lasted for six hours, according to Quilates, citing a report by the provincial police force.
Shouts of “Allahu Akbar” from inside the house and believed from the men broke the six-hour wait.
Shouts of “We will not surrender, we will fight!” were also heard. Then gunshots from inside the house rang out, prompting the police team to open fire, according to Quilates.
After gunsmoke settled down, Quilates said police found three men dead inside the house. Police also recovered two .45 caliber guns. MARICAR CINCO (Editor: Tony Bergonia)