Angeles City top robber, 2 cohorts slain

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — One of Angeles City’s alleged top robbers was gunned down during an operation on Saturday, police said in a belated report on Monday.

Jerry Maglente, 26, and his two cohorts were killed in a clash with policemen at past 4 a.m. at a residential subdivision in Barangay Anunas, Angeles City.

The two other suspects were identified as brothers Leonardo, 24, and Ronaldo Balatucan, 28, residents of Mabalacat City, north of Angeles City.

Maglente, a resident of Barangay Pulung Maragul, had been in the police’s priority target due to his alleged involvement in a string of robberies.

Policemen flagged them down as one of Maglente’s three cohorts carried a flat screen computer monitor.

Maglente reportedly fired at authorities, leading to a gunfight that killed him and two of his companions. Another suspect fled.

Police said Maglente has a standing arrest warrant for robbery issued by a local court.

Recovered from the suspects were three guns, 11 sachets of shabu (crystal meth) and two sachets of marijuana.

The Angeles City police also caught a suspected drug peddler identified as Cezar Villamer, 28, in a buy-bust on Sunday night in Barangay Balibago.

Villamer, also known as Pax, yielded three sachets of shabu during the operation.