MANILA, Philippines—Three men suspected of robbing the passengers of a public utility van were killed in a shootout with policemen who chased them on Wednesday night in Quezon City.
Supt. Crisostomo Mendoza, Novaliches police station commander, said the still unidentified men shot it out at around 11 p.m. with police operatives who cornered them on F. Del Mundo street in Barangay (village) Sauyo.
Earlier at 10:45 p.m., the three men allegedly robbed three passengers of a UV Express van (PXL 555) at the corner of Seminary Road and Quirino Highway in nearby Barangay Bagbag.
“These men are the ones hitting on passenger vans along Quirino Highway,” Mendoza said in an interview.
Case investigator, PO2 Alvin Quisumbing, described the men to be between 25 and 30 years old. One was 5’4″ tall, wearing a black shirt and blue shorts, with the words “Roma,” “Dare Cruz,” and “Bong Anthony” on different parts of his body.
Another suspect was 5’7″ in height and wore a black shirt, checkered shorts and brown slippers. The third suspect was wearing a black shirt, black shorts and a brown cap, with the words “Eric,” “Dave Greg,” and “Teresita Mercado” on different parts of his body.
Passengers Cyril Prado, 29; Samuel Prado, 30; and Fatima Alog, 20, were aboard the UV Express van when the robbers declared the heist and divested them of their belongings—a bag and three cell phones.
The robbers then got off in front of the Volvo Motors branch along Quirino Highway in Barangay San Bartolome.
Mendoza said the three men fled on foot while the victimized passengers sought help from the Novaliches police station.
The police operatives, riding motorcycles, caught up with the robbers on F. Del Mundo street and tried to restrain them by telling them to peacefully surrender.
Mendoza said the robbers shot at the lawmen upon realizing that they were already cornered.
Recovered from the robbers were two loaded .38-cal. revolvers and an improvised .22-cal. gun, as well as one of the victims’ cell phones.