3 suspected hired killers slain in Payatas

Published: 8:34 a.m., May 2, 2018 | Updated: 4:42 p.m., May 2, 2018

Three alleged members of a gun-for-hire group were killed in an encounter on Wednesday with police officers in Payatas, Quezon City, according to Chief Supt. Joselito T. Esquivel Jr., chief of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

The officers – mmembers of the Task Force Limbas of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the Special Traffic Action Group (Stag) exchanged fire with the suspects near a checkpoint on Payatas Road at around 2 a.m., Esquivel said in a statement.

The suspects were about to be flagged down by the officers when they headed back towards Montalban, Rizal.

The operatives immediately chased them, prompting the suspects to shoot at them.

Two of the three assailants died on the spot while another was rushed to the Malvar General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to Esquivel, authorities had received a tip that the men were out to assassinate someone in Quezon City.

He said the three men, who are yet to be identified as of posting time, appeared to be in their early or late 20’s, of fair complexion, medium built, and around 5’3” to 5’4” in height. They all wore shirts and denim pants.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) team recovered at the crime scene the following:

• a loaded Colt .45-caliber pistol with serial no. 257491
• a loaded .38-caliber revolver
• a loaded Remington .45-caliber pistol with defaced serial number
• a cellular phone
• a black Yamaha Fino motorcyle without registration plate
• a black SYM motorcycle without registration plate

Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the incident, arose out of a legitimate operation, would be automatically investigated, as part of protocol, by the Internal Affairs Service (IAS).

He explained that unless the IAS would see something irregular it would be considered as a legitimate police operation.  /cbb /atm