Cop, 3 others killed in Batangas shootout

LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines – Three armed suspects and a policeman were killed in a shootout in Calatagan town in Batangas province on Saturday night (March 12), police said Sunday.

The Batangas police, in a report issued Sunday afternoon, said policemen from Calatagan responded to information on the presence of suspicious armed men around the local cockpit arena in Barangay (village) Quilitisan.

The police team were met by gunfire from the three suspects who were eventually shot and killed during the shootout.

Killed in the shootout were the suspects identified as Joel Robles Herjas, Rolly Herjas, and Gabriel Robles Bahia, all residents of Barangay Biga, also in Calatagan.

Patrolman Gregorio Panganiban Jr. was shot on his chest during the shootout. He died while being taken to Metro Balayan Medical Center.

The report said two other persons, Joselito Carlum and Mayumi Dunaway, were hit in the crossfire and sustained gunshot wounds. They are still confined at the said hospital for treatment.

The report did not mention the what the suspects were doing in the area at the time of the shootout.

Police Brigadier General Antonio Yarra, director of Police Regional Office 4-A extended his condolences to the family of the slain police officer.

“Panganiban heroically performed his duties to suppress the suspects from pursuing their criminal act, unfortunately, it caused his life,” Yarra said in a statement.

/MUF