Nine kidnap suspects slain

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Nine suspected members of a kidnapping and robbery gang were killed in an alleged shootout with police pursuers in Concepcion, Tarlac early yesterday morning.

Responding lawmen encountered the members of the Benny Velasquez kidnap-for-ransom syndicate in the town, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that left nine gang members dead.

Police said they earlier received a tip that the group were planning to abduct a businessman in the town, prompting the dispatch of a police team when they encountered the suspects on board a white Kia Pride car with license plates PVR-436 and a white Toyota Corolla with license plates WPM-540.

Police said the suspects ran through a police roadblock in Barangay Santiago past 6 a.m. yesterday, triggering the running gunbattle.

Six of the suspects died instantly while three others were declared dead on arrival at the Sta. Rita hospital in the town.

Police recovered three caliber .38 revolvers, a caliber .380 handgun, a caliber .45 automatic , one 9-mm. handgun, a hand grenade and a cellular phone.

Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan identified eight of the slain suspects as Bernie Velasquez, the group’s alleged leader; Freddie Laro of Pasay City, Leo Pepito of Kalayaan Village, Pasay City, Nolito Compus of Baclaran, Paranaque City, Paulo Cabarlas of Access Road, Pasay City, Wilfredo Carido and Marlon Molina, both of Sto. Niño, Pasay City, Paul Caballes of Merville Road, Pasay City, and Freddie Lara, also of Pasay City.

Rafanan said the same group was also behind the recent kidnapping a Chinese national in Bulacan. The group is also being blamed for the spate of highway robberies in Central Luzon and Metro Manila. 

The same group is believed to be behind the P11-million robbery of McMeer, a foreign-owned firm in Dasmarinas, Cavite last July 16 and the P500,000 payroll robbery of Viking Feeds, also in Cavite.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Calderon inspected the shootout scene and commended the policemen involved in the shootout.

Calderon ordered stepped up anti-crime operations after taking over as PNP chief early this month.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Director Jesus Versoza said the slain suspects have been the subject of surveillance operations by "Task Force Maverick."

Versoza said Maverick operatives followed the group from Southern Tagalog entering Metro Manila in two vehicles.

He said they also received information that the group was on its way to Tarlac planning to kidnap a Chinese businessmen in Concepcion and relayed the tip-off to Rafanan.

Rafanan said they immediately set up several checkpoints on roads leading to the residence of the Chinese businessman.

"We wanted to immediately intercept them (suspects) after they entered Metro Manila coming from the direction of Southern Tagalog but we were outnumbered. So we just tailed them from a safe distance because we were not sure if (occupants of) other vehicles traveling along with them were their cohorts," said Task Force chief Senior Superintendent Allen Bantolo.

Bantolo claimed the suspects tried to evade the police checkpoint by ramming through the roadblock signs.

"They were ordered to stop for routine check but instead of doing so, they fired at the policemen manning the checkpoint, triggering (the) gunfight," he said.

Bantolo said follow-up operations have been launched to hunt down the remaining members of the group, who reportedly served as back-up and could have escaped by avoiding the police blockade. — With Jaime Laude, AP, AFP