Passerby also killed in police shootout

A passerby was killed in the crossfire when policemen engaged a group of gunmen in a shootout Friday in Malabon City.

The encounter also resulted in the death of three gunmen and the wounding of a police officer.

Paquito Llanera, 57, a resident of Barangay Potrero, Malabon City, was fetching his seven-year-old son when he was hit. He died on the way to the Pagamutang Bayan ng Malabon.

Tricycle driver Danilo Paningbatan, 45, was also hit in the crossfire and is confined at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center.

“The incident was really unfortunate, but there was an encounter,” Malabon City police chief Senior Superintendent Roberto Villanueva, told The STAR.

At around 6 p.m., Villanueva’s men, led by Senior Inspector Zosimo Sumagpang, engaged a group of armed men in a shootout on Siza street in Barangay Tinajeros.

Three of the suspects – Mark Ly, alias Joaquin, a resident of Antipolo City; and two others identified only as Greg and Toto – were killed.

Sumagpang was hit in the face and shoulder. He is now in stable condition in a hospital.

One of the suspects, Ernesto Errua, 28, was arrested. Prior to the encounter, at least eight armed men waylaid and killed Enrique Villagracia, 58, a security officer of Malabon City Square, in Barangay Tugatog. The gunmen split into two groups as they fled.

Ly’s group boarded a passing tricycle driven by Paningbatan but upon reaching Siza street, they were intercepted by Villanueva’s men.

A shootout ensued and one of the gunmen threw a hand grenade at the pursuing policemen but the grenade did not explode. At least four of the suspects escaped.

“We seized three .45 pistols, a .380 pistol which also looks like a .45, and two fragmentation grenades, including the one the suspects hurled at my men but failed to explode,” Villanueva said.

Villanueva said the suspects were hired guns but the police have yet to ascertain who employed them to kill Villagracia. – Pete Laude