2 killed in Manila ‘shootout’

Police Scene of the Crime Operatives a slain suspect in a robbery case of a lending company after a shootout ensued between the group and police officers in Zobel Roxas St., Malate Manila on 21 July 2012.INQUIRER PHOTO / RODEL ROTONI

MANILA, Philippines–Two men were killed while a policeman was wounded late Saturday afternoon in an alleged shootout shortly after armed men stormed a lending company in Manila, the police said.

The Manila Police District Malate station, citing an initial report, said they received a distress call at around 3 p.m. from the PJH Lending Corp. at the corner of Taft Avenue and Vito Cruz Street.

Employees of the lending agency sought police assistance, claiming armed men aboard two vans had barged into their office.

MPD Malate station commander Supt. Marvin Wynn Marcos claimed that when his men arrived at the lending office, the supposed assailants were no longer there, prompting anti-crime unit personnel to conduct pursuit operations.

Police said the chase ended near the boundary of Manila and Makati City, at the corner of Zobel Roxas and Alfonso Streets, where a shootout allegedly ensued, killing two suspects and wounding and Police Officer 3 Hansel Deneros.

However, a conflicting report from the same station said that two men had barged into the office of PJH–allegedly over a management dispute–and were arrested by responding policemen and taken to the Ospital ng Maynila for the standard medical checkup before they are booked.

It was still unclear if the two men arrested were the same persons killed in the alleged shootout.