Robbery gang leader, member slain in clash with police, Army in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY–The alleged leader of a robbery gang operating in the Zamboanga areas and one of his men were killed in a clash with authorities in Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte, the police said on Friday.

But Sibuco Mayor Norbedeiri Edding said Thursday’s clash between the police and the group of Isabelo Tarroza took place in Zamboanga City and not in his town.

Chief Inspector Helen Galvez, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Police, said Tarroza and another gang member, Alejandro delos Reyes, were killed in Thursday’s 4:30 p.m. operation by city policemen and the 6th Special Forces Battalion in Sitio Gulit in Barangay Lakiki in Sibuco.

Another member of Tarroza’s gang, identified as Naser de Leon was arrested during the clash. A fourth member eluded arrest, according to Galvez.

Recovered after the clash was a Garand rifle, a KG9 machine pistol, two shotguns, magazines and ammunition, Galvez said.

“I don’t know the motive behind or reason why the security forces insisted that the encounter took place in my town. The truth is, it happened in Zamboanga City and the responding units are all from Zamboanga City and Task Force Zamboanga. We are peaceful here,” Edding said.