5 killed after QC cops tail stolen cab, ‘lost plate’ SUV

ONE OF the five car theft suspects lies dead on the pavement after the “shootout” Friday with the QCPD. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

FIVE car theft suspects were killed in a “shootout” with the police in Quezon City on Friday morning, after a patrol unit spotted them in a two-vehicle convoy consisting of a sport utility vehicle with a “lost plate” sign and a taxi cab that was earlier reported stolen.

Around 9 a.m., a team from the Quezon City Police District’s Anti-Carnapping Unit was conducting routine patrol when they saw the two vehicles on Commonwealth Avenue heading toward Montalban, Rizal province, according to the head of the unit, Chief Insp. Richard Ang.

The vehicles were a black Isuzu Sportivo with a “lost plate” sign and a taxi marked Karol Nick (UWB 489) which was reported by the QCPD-Cubao police as stolen around 4 a.m. or five hours earlier, Ang said.

The patrol team tailed the vehicles while alerting the Special Traffic Action Group of the Philippine National Police for reinforcement.

They later caught up with their targets on Payatas Road, where Ang said the suspects fired at the approaching officers and were killed in the resulting exchange. No one was hurt on the side of the police.

The five fatalities remained unidentified at press time as the QCPD said they did not carry IDs.

The QCPD said three revolvers and two “paltik” or improvised submachine guns were recovered from the dead.

The responding police teams received commendations from Interior Secretary Mel Sarmiento, National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao, and QCPD director Chief Supt. Edgardo Tinio.