2 robbery suspects dead in clash with police near Cavite hotel

Two robbery suspects were killed and a police officer was seriously wounded in a clash in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, yesterday.

Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao, Cavite police director, said in a phone interview that the two suspects arrived at Hotel de Gloria in Barangay (village) Langkaan 1 around 4 a.m. and approached the hotel’s security guard saying they wanted to apply for a job.

While the guard talked to them, a hotel employee who happened to be listening to the conversation slipped out to make a call to the police.

The employee told police that he grew suspicious of the two when he noticed that one was carrying packaging tape and the other had something bulging tucked in his waist believed to be a gun.

A team of policemen, who happened to be in the area for a covert antidrug operation, was alerted to proceed to the hotel.

The policemen, on board an unmarked car, drove down to the hotel but on their way met the two suspects who by then were fleeing the hotel on foot, Bulalacao said.

He said when the policemen pulled over, the suspects fired at them hitting P01 Richmond Anico in the chest. The policemen fired back and killed the two. They also recovered two .38 caliber guns from the suspects.

Bulalacao said police were now tracking down another man on a motorcycle who could be a companion of the slain suspects.

He said the third man did not approach the hotel guard but the policemen came across him on the road just before the gunfight.

Anico was rushed to the Asia Medic Family Hospital and Medical Center in Barangay Sampaloc 1 in Dasmariñas City and has been declared out of danger.

Bulalacao said the suspected robbers, whose identities remained unknown, might have targeted the hotel guests.

He said the hotel usually had Korean golfers as guests since it was near golf courses in Cavite.