Roving policemen kill 2 suspected robbers in Manila

Two suspected robbers were killed after they were cornered by policemen in a brief chase near the University of Santo Tomas in Manila before dawn Tuesday.

Senior Police Officer 2 Virgo Villareal, of the Manila Police District homicide unit, said the suspects fought it out with policemen assigned at the Sampaloc station around 2:45 a.m. along A.H. Lacson Street at the corner of   P. Margal Street.

Villareal said April Santos, 25, was waiting for a ride along A.H. Lacson Street when the suspects appeared on a motorcycle and at gunpoint took  her Apple iPhone estimated to be worth P30,000.

Cries for help

The victim’s shouts for help caught the attention of patrolling policemen on motorcyles who were in the area.

As they chased the fleeing suspects, the latter suddenly stopped and fired at the approaching policemen, but missed.

“The responding policemen retaliated and killed the suspects on the spot,” the report said.

The suspects sported tattoos indicating they were members of the “Commando Gang,” it added.

The slain victims remain unidentified, police said.

“Apart from not carrying papers that would give as a clue about their identities, no one has come forward to claim the bodies,” Villareal said.