6 slay suspects killed in Bohol clash

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Six men believed to be  behind Saturday’s killing of a municipal police chief in Bohol province died during a shootout with policemen in Bien Unido town, also in Bohol, on Sunday morning.

Four others surrendered, according to a report of the provincial police.

The group was tagged in the killing of Chief Inspector George Cana, police chief of Ubay in Barangay (village) Balintawak, Talibon town, on Saturday night.

One of the fatalities and alleged leader was identified as Owen Rosales, a former police officer who went on Awol (absent without official leave) in 2010.

In a phone interview, Supt. Joie Yape, police provincial spokesperson, said the Bien Unido police had received a tip that Rosales’ group checked in at Playa del Norte resort in Barangay Puerto San Pedro at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

All police stations in the province were earlier alerted to set up checkpoints to intercept the killers, he said. Members of the police provincial intelligence branch, special weapons and action team and Bien Unido police conducted pursuit operations after Cana’s death.

At 9:30 a.m., a shootout ensued between Rosales’ group and the police. Killed were Rosales, Amie Camero, Armando Quisto, Glenn Sayson, Junifer Bicada and Carlito Kiamko.

Those who gave up were Roberto Olalo, Paolo Avenido, Orlando Garcia and Joan Cajes.

Recovered in the shootout were four .45-cal. and one 9-mm pistols, two .38-cal. revolvers, one M-16 rifle, one hand grenade and sachets of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride).

Yape claimed that Rosales’ group was responsible for Cana’s killing after the Ubay police chief caught a drug peddler during an operation last week. He said Cana’s death was a big loss to the police campaign against illegal drug trade in the province.

“He is very dedicated to his work … . I even advised him not to go on trips alone because of his work,” Yape said of Cana.

Police found an abandoned Isuzu Trooper SUV (sport utility vehicle), said to be used by Rosales’ group during the ambush in Barangay Nueva Esperansa, also in Bien Unido. Inside the SUV were two .38-cal. pistols and five .357-cal. revolver bullets, drug paraphernalia and women’s clothing.