NCRPO Chief Leonardo Espina. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Four suspected carjackers, one of whom was notorious for wearing a police patrol shirt uniform when pulling off their crime, were killed after a car chase and a shootout with police in Alabang early morning Tuesday.
Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief, identified the prime suspect as Arnel Canque, an ex-convict recently released from prison.
Canque and three others who were also ex-convicts were said to be responsible for the series of carjacking in Quezon City and Manila.
The suspects were initially traced through a suspected carjacked red Toyota Vios with plate number ZCN-566 that was being offered for sale at a price of P150,000. The plate number was later found to be registered to a Toyota Hi-Lux Pick-up, Espina said in the text advisory.
Police authorities immediately set-up an entrapment operations and contacted the seller of the car to meet up in a gas station in Alabang Town Center for a viewing of the vehicle, he added
The operation was set Monday around 11:45 p.m. The suspects arrived at around 1 a.m. Tuesday, but upon seeing the police operatives, they immediately sped off towards Daang Hari Road.
Authorities who chased the suspects were immediately fired upon by the suspects. Police fired back and continued the chase until the suspects’ vehicle lost control and rammed a concrete fence at Victoria Homes, Barangay (village) Tunasan, Muntinlupa.
The shootout continued as the suspects fired back at police until they were all fatally hit, Espina said.
Two .45 caliber, two .38 caliber pistols, and live ammunition were recovered from the scene as well as blue police patrol shirt uniforms that had been used by the suspects, he added.
The identities of the three other killed suspects have yet to be determined by the Scene of the Crime Operatives and Muntinlupa Police, Espina said.