MANILA, Philippines—An alleged robber was killed in what police claim was a firefight with lawmen right after he robbed a woman on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City early Saturday.
The slain man was described as being medium in built, five feet tall and clad in an orange shirt and checkered black shorts.
The suspect also had several tattoos such as Sputnik markings on his right leg and torso, a skull tattoo on the right arm and the name “Castillo Glenn” on his torso.
Police said the man was shot dead in a shootout with operatives of the Cubao police station just after he robbed a woman who had just alighted from a bus on EDSA near Main Avenue.
Cubao police station commander Superintendent Ronnie Montejo said his men caught up with the suspect after they received a report that Marites Perez, 38, had just been robbed in the area.
The woman had just gotten off the bus when the still unidentified man approached her and demanded her valuables at gunpoint.
Perez, a businesswoman and resident of Barangay Balongbato, gave up her P1,700 cash and a Samsung cellphone to the man, who then ran away.
Case investigator Police Officer 3 Erickson Isidro said police patrols were notified of the incident by radio and they picked up the victim so that she could accompany them in chasing the suspect.
Operatives led by Senior Inspector Jeff Dalson spotted the suspect at the corner of 11th and 12th Avenues in Barangay Socorro at around 1:47 a.m. The policemen were about to approach the man, who was casually walking in the area, when the man broke into a run.
Police chased the suspect, who suddenly fired shots when he was finally cornered, prompting the authorities to shoot back.
Perez’s valuables were recovered from the robber, who also carried with him a caliber .38 revolver, police said.