Man dies in Batangas firefight after evading checkpoint

BATANGAS CITY—A still unidentified man who tried to avoid a checkpoint was killed after he opened fire at policemen in San Jose town in Batangas province late Monday night, police said Tuesday.

Chief Inspector Gil Jopia, San Jose police chief, said that the unknown man was on board a motorcycle when he was flagged down by Senior Police Officer 1 Valiant Aguilera who was manning a checkpoint with Police Officers 1 Raymond Matala, Jay Santos, and Neil Silva in Barangay (village) Natunuan as part of police’s “Oplan Sita” at around 10:20 p.m.

The suspect suddenly fired upon the police vehicle and fled toward village Tugtug, also in San Jose, the police official said.

The policemen chased the suspect and a firefight ensued at the boundary of the villages of Tugtug and Natunuan. The suspect was killed during the shootout. /jpv