3 suspected cop killers slain in Batangas

LEMERY, Batangas – Two men and a female companion linked to the murder of a police officer were killed in an encounter with policemen in this town early Saturday, police said.

The three, who were aboard a motorcycle, were killed following a short chase and a shootout with the police after they sped through a checkpoint on Diokno Highway in Barangay Mahayahay a couple of hours before daybreak Saturday, said Superintendent Omega Jireh Fidel, chief of the police Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB).

The three were riding a motorcycle, driven by one of the two men, which had no plate number, when they were flagged down at the RPSB checkpoint at around 4 a.m. “But instead of pulling over, they eluded the checkpoint, prompting a (police) chase,” Fidel said.

He said that upon reaching Barangay (village) Mahabang Dahilig, the suspects fired at the chasing cops, who retaliated and killed the three on the spot at around 4:15 a.m.

Recovered from the scene were two caliber-45 pistols and a caliber-38, according to Superintendent Arcadio Ronquillo, Batangas police information officer.

Fidel said the three remained unidentified, but a police official who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter said they were involved in the murder of former Batangas police intelligence officer Supt. Rodney Ramirez, who also lived in Lemery. It was not clear though how the link was made to a 12-day-old murder if their identities had not been established yet.

Ramirez was ambushed on July 12 while biking for his morning exercise in the adjacent town of Taal.

The source said intelligence reports revealed that the suspects were rebel returnees hired by a local politician, who was allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

The source said they learned of the involvement of the local official through the L300 van, which the suspects abandoned after the ambush.

Chief Superintendent Gil Meneses, police director of Calabarzon who was reached for comment Saturday, said they were still counter-checking the information involving the local official.

The murder case of Ramirez remained unsolved at the moment, he stressed.

The encounter took place just a few hours before Ramirez was laid to rest here on Saturday morning.

“We strongly condemn the murder of a fellow police official and we will not stop until justice is served,” said Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, Laguna police director and Ramirez’s former superior, in behalf of the Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association.