Northern Police District (NPD) director Senior Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. said yesterday that based on evidence recovered, they suspect that the fatalities were members of a well-organized crime group. "We are still digging deeper," he said.
The fatalities were identified as Jay Aguila, a seaman, of Road-10, Magsaysay Village, Tondo, Manila; and Thata Bugas, of Building 9, Unit 56, Temporary Housing, Vitas also in Tondo. They were believed to be part of a group of heavily armed men who robbed a printing press in Malabon City.
At around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, men armed with high-powered guns robbed the Speed Master Printing Press at 23 Nangka Road, Barangay Potrero, Malabon and carted away some P40,000 in payroll money.
The suspects escaped on board a gray Mitsubishi Adventure (WCL 172). They fled towards Mac Arthur Highway in Valenzuela City with the Malabon City police led by Superintendent Pete Ramos in pursuit.
The NPD-Tactical Operations Center (TOC) manned by PO3 Elmer Oceo and civilian employee Mila Gatchalian, under instructions from Inspector Teresita Soriano, radioed the local police force of the incident.
Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Urena, Valenzuela City police chief, immediately put up blockades at possible exit points to apprehend the suspects.
At around 2 p.m., the suspects’ getaway vehicle was spotted along Gen. T. De Leon in Valenzuela. Police operatives led by SPO1 Lazaro Paolo flagged down the vehicle but as they were about to check the car, a passenger, armed with an M203 grenade launcher, alighted and opened fire at the policemen.
Paolo and PO1 Hoover Ireneo were wounded from the grenade explosion which also damaged their two patrol cars.
In the course of the gunbattle, a 13-year-old bystander, Genevieve Bergantinos, was hit by a stray bullet on her left arm which according to the police came from the suspects.
Losing composure, the suspects fled towards Barangay Ugong where they met the men of Chief Inspector John Chua in another police car.
Two of the suspects alighted from their getaway vehicle and engaged the policemen in a running gunbattle resulting in the death of Aguila and Bugas.
The suspects again tried to escape towards Sitio Sulok where they commadeered the green Toyota XL car (UAX 120) of engineer Ruben de los Santos abandoning the Mitsubishi Adventure.
Finding the car not fast enough, the group again abandoned the Toyota XL and commandeered a passing green Toyota Revo (WNW 553) driven by Marvin Buenaflor and made good their escape towards Caloocan City.