QC cop kills Abuyog gang member

Quezon City Police District cops shot dead a member of the notorious Abuyog gang who had robbed a customer at a coffee shop in Talipapa, Barangay Banlat, Quezon City.

Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula, QCPD director, said the suspect, Epifanio Maico Jr., who was riding in tandem with another man, engaged policemen in a shootout when they were cornered along Sagitarius St. in Banlat district, Tandang Sora.

Police said the Abuyog gang is behind the series of daylight robberies of business establishments, including posh restaurants and coffee shops in the city.

"Instead of giving up, the suspect fired at responding policemen," Gatdula said.

Gatdula said police recovered a 9 mm pistol from the suspect.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect robbed a customer of a coffee shop and immediately fled on board a motorcycle taking with them their loot.

A staff of Moss Coffee Shop positively identified Maico as the one who robbed their customer.

The incident was immediately reported to the police quick reaction unit composed of members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), which immediately launched a hot pursuit and dragnet operations.

Police are still tracking down the other gang member who was able to escape at the height of the firefight.

Gatdula said Maico was an ex-convict from the Quezon City jail while his group was tagged as behind the robbery of the Bank of the Philippine Islands- SM Fairview branch about a month ago.

Police are hot on the trail of Maico’s cohorts.