End of the road

Three members of the notorious "Tutok-Kalawit Gang," including its alleged leader, were shot dead shortly after midnight yesterday during a gunfight with policemen near the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) North Avenue terminal in Quezon City.

The fatalities were identified through their aliases. The group’s leader, Lito Simon alias "Boy Negro," a certain "Ariel," and "Boy Toyo" all sustained bullet wounds in various parts of the body.

Investigators said agents of the Central Police District Intelligence Division were responsible for killing three of the six members of the gang.

Initial reports showed that the suspects opened fire on the cops, forcing the latter to retaliate. Policemen involved in the shooting vehemently denied accusations of a "rubout."

The shooting occurred at about 12:15 a.m. under the MRT North Avenue terminal along EDSA in Barangay Pag-Asa, Quezon City.

According to Senior Inspector Rodolfo Jaraza, they have been receiving reports that the gang operates in the said area late at night. A squad was immediately formed to investigate.

Jaraza said police officers saw the gang arrive on board a white car.

The policemen then approached the six suspects and accosted them but one of the gang members drew and fired his gun, triggering a shootout.

When the smoke cleared, three of the six suspects lay dead, while three others were able to escape on board their vehicle. Recovered were a handgun and a hand grenade.

Jaraza said the Tutok Kalawit Gang victimize passengers of FX taxis, jeepneys and the MRT. He added that a few hours before the shooting, the gang robbed a woman in Baler, Quezon City of P32,000 in cash.

The woman, whose identity is being withheld, positively identified one of the slain suspects as part of the group that robbed her at gunpoint at around 11:30 p.m. She claimed the suspects also hit her in the head with a gun.

"The gang carry out their bad deeds in three areas. They start at around 10 p.m. in Muñoz, where they rob bus passengers, then in North Avenue, where they victimize MRT commuters waiting for FX taxis. Finally, they go to Commonwealth Avenue and rob jeepney passengers. This is how they operate according to our informants," Jaraza told The Star.