3 car thieves killed in QC

Three suspected car thieves were killed in a shootout with operatives of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) in Novaliches, Quezon City the other night, bringing to five the number of suspects neutralized in the last two days.

Superintendent Roger James Brillantes, chief of QCPD’s District Intelligence and Investigation Division (DIID), said his team intercepted the three suspects on Sauyo Road, Novaliches at 10:20 p.m.

An hour earlier, a certain Marwin Luz reported to QCPD-Station 3 that his copper blaze Isuzu Crosswind (XTF-526) was taken from him along Tandang Sora.

Police quickly sent an alarm to track down the stolen AUV.

QCPD operatives spotted the "hot car" on Old Sauyo Road and tried to flag it down. The van sped past the policemen, resulting in a chase.

At the corner of Sauyo Road and Manchester street in Barangay Sauyo, the suspects opened fire at QCPD operatives. 

The brief gunfight left all three suspects dead.

Arriving at the scene were Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes, Philippine National Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao, Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol and QCPD director Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan Jr.

Brillantes said the same suspects had been the subject of a month-long operation.

Police said the three were members of the Pagdanganan Carnapping Group, which operates in Quezon City.

Recovered from the slain suspects were two caliber .38 revolvers, an MK2 fragmentation grenade, a 12-gauge Omega shotgun (serial number 7103514) loaded with five buckshot cartridges and five pick locks.

Last Monday night, QCPD’s District Police Intelligence Unit, led by Chief Inspector Rodolfo Jaraza, killed two suspected carjackers in a shooutout in Barangay Maharlika, also in Quezon City.

Suspects Pedro Bautista, believed to be the leader of a carjacking group, and Adriano Hernandez were killed following a chase and brief gunbattle.