Wanted felon dies in shootout with Quezon cops

LUCENA CITY — A wanted criminal was killed after he allegedly resisted arrest and fired shots at policemen in Tiaong town in Quezon province on Friday night.

Police Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon police chief, identified the slain suspect as Alvin Punzalan, 46, resident of Barangay (village) Del Rosario.

Police operatives, armed with a warrant of arrest for Punzalan, went to the suspect’s village when they were fired upon at around 11:15 p.m., the Quezon police report said.

Policemen returned fire and killed Punzalan on the spot.

Authorities reportedly recovered a caliber .45 pistol and six empty bullet shells from the crime scene allegedly from the firearm of the suspect, who was also tagged as a “high value individual” and a member of a drug syndicate.

Police reportedly recovered one plastic sachet of shabu (crystal meth) from the body of the slain suspect.

Punzalan, who had long been wanted for a murder case, was listed as No. 2 most wanted criminal in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region.

JPV