QC policemen kill carjack gang boss

Quezon City policemen killed last Monday night the alleged leader of a notorious carjack gang during a shootout in Barangay Commonwealth.

Randy Madrigal, leader of the Madrigal-Enduro carjack gang based in Valenzuela and Bulacan, was shot dead while five other suspects escaped after the encounter at the corner of San Pedro Extension and Mangos streets in Barangay Commonwealth at around 10:30 p.m.

Inspector Angelo Nicolas, chief of the Anti-Carnapping Section of the Quezon City Police District, said that aside from carjacking the gang is also involved in kidnapping and robbery.

“The death of their leader have definitely weakened this gang,” Nicolas told The STAR.

Superintendent Bernabe Balba, chief of the QCPD’s Intelligence Division, said they received a telephone call from a resident about suspcious-looking men on board cars roaming in the area.

He said that since the area is near Commonwealth Avenue that was designated as a “zone of discipline,” policemen have set up checkpoints along the highway.

Balba said that a red Nissan Sentra with license plates UFV-565, which later turned out to be driven by Madrigal, and a silver Toyota Innova with no car plates were stopped at a police checkpoint.

He said when policemen tried to inspect the suspects’ vehicles the Nissan Sentra sped away while the driver and a passenger fired shots at the police officer. The Toyota Innova followed the speeding Nissan car with its passengers also shooting at the policemen manning the checkpoint.

The getaway cars even sideswiped several market stalls and structures near the sidewalk.

Police mobile units chased the suspects, but the Nissan car driven by gangleader Madrigal hit a wall some 20 meters from the checkpoint, while the Innova smashed a store some 100 meters from the checkpoint.

Madrigal continued firing at the pursuing policemen until he was shot dead.

Several suspects commandeered a passing taxi cab and fled while the others escaped by passing through the nearby residential area.

“We are conducting follow up operations to check whether they have a hideout in that area,” Balba said.

Balba said Madrigal’s group is believed to be involved in the series of carjacking cases along Mindanao Avenue last year.

Madrigal’s brother Edwin had been convicted of carjacking and is now serving his sentence at the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa while three other gang members have been arrested recently.