Manhunt on for suspect who escaped Delpan shootout

The Manila Police District (MPD) has launched a manhunt against an alleged member of the “Waray-Waray” robbery gang who reportedly shot two civilians but managed to escape during a shootout at the Delpan bridge in Tondo last week.

Witnesses Arnel Catalan and Elizaldo Canarez have executed affidavits detailing how they saw an armed suspect shoot Victor Cayari, 30, and Rolando Natividad, 50, driver and operations manager, respectively, of beer manufacturer Asia Brewery.

The armed suspect eventually escaped at the height of the shootout. Canarez was hit by a stray bullet in the right thigh.

Moriones police station chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino believes the suspect could have intended to use the victims’ vehicle for his escape or use the two as human shield.

“We will not relent on the manhunt against the remaining suspect. We are beefing up our intelligence network for his imminent capture,” Espino told The STAR.

All 18 policemen who took part in the shootout had already submitted their firearms for ballistic tests, according to Espino. The 18 policemen will also received commendations from the city council in today’s flag raising rites at the Manila City Hall.

Meanwhile, the MPD has identified six alleged members of the “Waray-Waray” robbery group who were killed in the shootout with law enforcers last Wednesday.

The alleged members of the robbery group are Mario Fabillar, 28; Rudy Singre, 33; Jonar Montilla, 27, garbage collector; Rodolfo Jamer, 37, worker; Abriel Luciano, 28; and Romeo Luciano, 44.

The suspects were identified by their relatives, who admitted that some of them were Waray – a person who traces his roots to Samar or Leyte – but denied that their slain kin participated in robberies attributed to them.

The policemen reportedly recovered a Magnum 357 pistol from Fabillar; a .9mm pistol from Singre; a .38 caliber revolver from Montilla; a .45 caliber pistol from Jamer; a hand grenade from Abriel Luciano; and an M21 Thompson from Romeo.An employee of the Universal Funeral Homes reportedly told the MPD that a plan of their operation was found in Jamer’s pocket.