2 alleged motorcycle thieves slain in Laguna

CAMP PACIANO RIZAL, Laguna – Two suspected motorcycle thieves were killed in what police described as a shootout with policemen in Los Baños, Laguna, Wednesday evening, the authorities said Thursday.

Los Baños police chief Superintendent Dante Novicio said in a telephone interview that patrolling policemen spotted the alleged thieves at around 6:15 p.m. on Jamboree Road in Barangay (village) Timugan and flagged them down for driving a motorcycle without a plate number.

The two men, who were riding tandem, sped past the authorities, prompting the policemen to give chase until they reached the slopes of Mt. Makiling.

“The back rider started to fire at the cops, so our men had to retaliate,” Novicio said.

Each of the slain men sustained at least three gunshot wounds in the body.

Police said they recovered a .38-caliber revolver and a hand grenade from the suspects.

The two men were still unidentified until early Thursday, said Novicio.

The motorcycle was later found to have been stolen from Wilfredo Palis, who had left his vehicle parked unattended on Wednesday morning in the neighboring village of Anos.