QC shootout leaves 5 dead

MANILA, Philippines - Three robbers and a policeman were among five people killed during a shootout when suspected robbers victimized passengers of two jeepneys on Friday night in Quezon City.

Police Officer 3 Ermine Nievera Hipolito, 50, and jeepney driver Ramilo Due, 49, died in the encounter at past 5 p.m. in Barangay North Fairview.

SPO1 Antonio Galauran said they have yet to identify the slain robbers.

Police found in the possession of the suspects two .38 caliber revolvers that they used in the twin jeepney robberies.

Galauran said two other suspected robbers managed to get away from chasing policemen.

Two others – PO1 Syril Agitong and passenger Gerry Igama, 49 – were injured in the shootout.

Prior to the encounter, the five suspects robbed the passengers of the jeepney of Ignacio Rigor then traveling towards Fairview.

After divesting the passengers of their belongings, the suspects alighted, crossed the street, and boarded the jeepney of Due who was driving northward along Regalado Ave.

When Due’s jeepney reached the corner of Ipil street, the suspects declared another heist.

The suspects told Due to keep on driving while they robbed the passengers.

But the driver spotted a police multicab and drove by Hipolito and Agitong, both from the QCPD-Station 5, who were attending to a vehicular accident.

“Sir, hinoholdap kami (we are being robbed),” shouted Due to policemen, before he was shot.

A shoot out occurred thereafter.

The two policemen were rushed to the Commonwealth Hospital but Hipolito was declared dead on arrival. One of the suspects was shot and brought to FEU Hospital where he was also declared dead on arrival.

The other two slain suspects were killed when they engaged chasing policemen of Station 5 along Quirino Highway.