Four teenagers carrying high-powered firearms in a sports car were arrested after a brief chase in Barangay (village) Holy Spirit in Quezon City before dawn Thursday.
Senior Inspector Roberto Razon, head of the Quezon City Police District Station 6 Intelligence Unit, identified two arrested teenagers as Eric Paul Avelino, 18, and Hinorobo Ando, 18, both residents of Capitol Estate, Barangay Batasan Hills in Quezon City.
Razon did not name the two other suspects, both 16 years old, as they are minors.
Escape
Their companion, only identified as “RJ,” who was also in the Toyota sports car with plate number BEK-176 when it was flagged down at 12:30 a.m. along St. Catherine Street, managed to escape.
Chief Inspector Rodelio Marcelo, head of the QCPD Criminal and Investigation Unit, said the suspects are believed to be members of a notorious group called Temple Street X3.
They are also the primary suspects in the death of at least four people and the wounding of three others in recent shootings in the area.
Investigation
Marcelo said an assault rifle Ingram, a mini-UZI and two 9 mm-cal. pistols found in the suspects’ possession are the subject of a police investigation in connection with the death of a Commission on Audit employee and a member of the Quezon City Hall legal department.
The CIDU chief said the Ingram was also used in the murder of a money lending collector who was killed in front of his wife and son two months ago.
Photographs
He added that they were able to obtain photographs of the teenagers holding the mentioned firearms.
Marcelo said the suspects had shaved heads and wore black shirts.
The armed suspects were arrested while trying to escape on foot after their vehicle was cornered by responding policemen when it did not stop at a checkpoint.
One of the teenagers carried an UZI pistol while trying to escape from the police, Razon said.
Under questioning by the police, Ando, who was allegedly the source of the firearms, claimed his father is a government official in Japan.
Registered
But according to Superintendent Ronnie Montejo, chief of QCPD Station 6, the UZI was registered under the name of Apollo International Trading Corp. based in Cagayan province.
Montejo said the suspects will be charged with illegal possession of firearms.
Originally posted at 02:48 pm | Thursday, October 27, 2011