A man was killed after he allegedly figured in a shootout with policemen who tried to arrest him after a street holdup in barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, last Thursday night.
The fatality was identified as a certain Joseph.
He and Mark Dela Cruz were accused of robbing three women, who were walking along A.S. Fortuna Extension past 8 p.m. when the suspects poked a knife at them and declared a holdup.
One of the women, Aprilette Decierdo, 23, of barangay Banilad, Mandaue, refused to give her bag and was stabbed in the back.
A jeepney dispatcher tried to help the women but Joseph allegedly shot at him but missed. The dispatcher, who was later identified as Jonathan Quinod, ran away.
The suspects boarded a motorcycle and sped off toward barangay Bakilid.
A police patrol spotted a speeding motorcycle and gave chase with the siren on.
The motorcycle driver swerved to the gutter and crashed on the ground after the vehicle was caught in a traffic jam on M.L. Quezon Highway in barangay Casuntingan.
Dela Cruz ran off and was chased by bystanders and policemen until he was was eventually cornered.
Joseph sped off toward sitio Calderohan. He left his motorcycle and disappeared in a grassy area.
Policemen stayed in the area for almost four hours before Joseph resurfaced from a culvert.
Police said Joseph fired at the policemen. They fired back and hit Joseph in the head.
Joseph died a few hours after he was brought to a Cebu City hospital.
Dela Cruz denied involvement in the holdup, saying he just hitched a ride home with Joseph.
At the police station, at least three carnapping victims identified Dela Cruz as the one who stole their motorcycles.
Police said Dela Cruz later admitted his role in motorycle thefts.
He said each stolen motorcycle was sold for P6,000 in Danao City. CORRESPONDENTS NORMAN V. MENDOZA AND FE MARIE D. DUMABOC