Passengers glance at the bullet-riddled vehicle of suspected criminals along a road in the town of Atimonan in Quezon province, about 140 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Manila, Philippines late Sunday Jan. 6, 2013. Philippine army special forces and police killed 13 suspected criminals in a gunbattle Sunday in the latest violence to erupt in the country in the past week. AP /Aaron Favila
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police identified Monday the police and military officers, who were among the 13 killed in the alleged shootout in Quezon province Sunday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon, Quezon provincial police director said three police officers were killed in the encounter and they were Superintendent Alfredo Perez Consemino assigned with Region 4-B; Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Tarinay Valdez; and Senior Police Officer 1 Gruet Alinea Mantuano.
One military officer identified as Staff Sergeant Armando Aranda Lescano was also killed in the shootout.
Two other men who yielded identification cards showing they were officers of Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Intelligence Service were also killed in the shootout with police. The IDs bore the names of Leonardo Catapang Marasigan and Maximo Manalastas Pelayo.
But the ISAFP on Monday issued a strong denial.
ISAFP Commander Brigadier General Eduardo Año said the two slain men were “impostors.”
“May na recover na IDs pero fake yun. Di nag-i-issue ng ID ang ISAFP (There were IDs recovered but those were fake. ISAFP does not issue IDs),” he told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.
The other fatalities were identified as follows:
– Tirso Pada Lontoc Jr. of Barangay (village) Sta. Lucia, Dolores, Quezon;
– Conrado Redreska Decillo of Barangay (village) Maunong, Calamba City;
– Victor Garcia Gonzales of Pulong Balon, Candaba, Pampanga;
– Victorino Siman Atienza Jr. of Barangay (village) Maunong, Calamba City;
– Gerry Ancero Siman of Barangay (village) Maunong, Calamba City;
– Jimbeam Dyico Justiniani of Quezon City; and
– Paul Arcedillo Quiohilag of 608 Mabini, Biñan, Laguna.
Police earlier said the gun battle between authorities and the 13 alleged members of a criminal group on board two vehicles occurred on Maharlika Highway in Barangay Lumutan in Atimonan, Quezon around 3 p.m. Sunday after the group opened fire at police and military officers manning a checkpoint.
A police officer, Superintendent Hansel Marantan sustained gunshot wounds on his left arm and left foot.
Authorities recovered from the slain suspects 10 firearms, including one M-14 rifles and M16 rifle.