Rob suspect slain in Quezon City shootout—police

MANILA, Philippines—A robbery suspect was killed in an alleged shootout with policemen right after he and his cohort seized the cellphone of a 15-year-old girl in Quezon City past midnight Thursday.

The slain man–described to be 30-35 years old, 5’4″ tall and fair skinned–has yet to be identified, the police said.

Superintendent Norberto Babaga, Galas police station commander, said the suspect’s companion was able to run away during the encounter, which occurred near the Nissan Motors building along Quezon Avenue in Barangay Tatalon at around 12:30 a.m.

Babaga said the two men had robbed Anjanette del Rosario, a student of the San Bartolome High School, of her cellphone, which she wore on a strap around her neck.

Case investigator Senior Police Officer 1 Cristituto Zaldarriaga said the policemen recovered the victim’s Samsung Wave Y cellphone after the shootout.

Zaldarriaga said the girl was waiting along Quezon Boulevard for a jeepney bound for Novaliches late Thursday night when the two assailants approached her from behind and took her cellphone at gunpoint before running away.

Galas police operatives, who happened to be on patrol in the area, responded to the student’s call for help and took her with them in chasing after the robbers, the police officers said.

Babaga said his men and the girl spotted the two men near the Nissan building.

The policemen then alighted from their patrol car and were about to accost the suspects when the two allegedly began firing shots in their direction.

The lawmen were forced to fire back, killing one of the suspects, who was armed with a .38 cal. revolver while the other man was able to escape, the police said.

Zaldarriaga said the slain suspect had several tattoos and wore violet shorts, a black shirt and black sandals.