COTABATO CITY — Four out of six suspected robbers were killed during a hot pursuit operation in Mlang, Cotabato province Thursday night, police said.
Lt. Col. Realan Mamon, Mlang police chief, said three suspects were killed on the spot while the fourth died while being rushed to a hospital.
According to Mamon, the suspects had robbed a man of his Android mobile phone along the highway in Barangay Dalapitan, Matalam town, also in Cotabato province then escaped on separate motorbikes toward Mlang town, traveling along the national highway.
Police operatives of Matalam sought the help of colleagues in Mlang town in putting up a blocking force.
In the course of fleeing, one of the motorbikes hit an oncoming Isuzu Elf truck, killing one of the suspects instantly while another died while being rushed to a hospital.
Two others were also killed after shooting it out with authorities.
“They refused to pull over at a checkpoint, instead they opened fire at our patrol car,” Mamon said.
The two other suspects were able to evade the police dragnet.
Mamon said the suspects’ dead identities remained unknown as of posting and no one has claimed their remains.