4 kidnap suspects slain in shootout

At least four of six armed men, believed to be members of a kidnap-for-ransom group, were shot dead in an alleged encounter with the police in Valenzuela City early yesterday.

Police said they are still looking for at least two suspects who managed to escape during the firefight. A sixth was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Chief Superintendent Eric Javier, Northern Police District (NPD) director, said the operation was a joint effort of the National Capital Region- Criminal Investigation and Detective Unit (CIDU), the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) and the Valenzuela police.

The names of three of the slain suspects were not immediately available, although police officials said they were members of the Villaver Gang.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda said one of the suspects was identified as Michael Pameron, the alleged leader of a six-man gang who targets wealthy traders. Pameron was known as one of the remaining members of the Villaver kidnap and robbery group operating in Metro Manila.

Recovered at the crime scene were a .38 caliber revolver marked “Shooter” with six bullets; a .9mm SW Model 469 with nine bullets; a pistolized 12-gauge shotgun with ammunition; an Ingram automatic pistol marked M-11 .9mm SW Inc., Atlanta, Georgia USA; a grenade; a black Toyota Revo (XPC-483); spent shells and a sketch of their prospective victim, a nine-year-old child from San Juan City.

Valenzuela police chief Senior Superintendent Ranier Idio said the shootout occurred at around 2:35 a.m. yesterday at the West Service Road in Barangay Canumay. The joint teams were conducting a dragnet operation based on information provided by relatives of the suspects themselves when the shootout broke out.

Prior to the encounter, CIDU and PACER operatives spotted the black Revo, with the suspects onboard, at the Malinta Extension. They alerted the Valenzuela police, who set up a mobile checkpoint.

Seeing a checkpoint ahead of them, the suspects turned back to avoid it but found their way blocked by the lawmen’s vehicles.

The suspects jumped off the Revo and fled on foot in different directions to elude arrest, all the while firing their guns to scare off any pursuers.

The cops fired back, killing three on the spot. A fourth was wounded and taken to the Valenzuela General Hospital, where he died while being treated.

Javier told The STAR in an interview that the operation was a good development, knowing that many people are now cooperating with the police. He also pointed out that the success of the operation was a result of information sharing among several police units.

He also advised the public to “conquer their fears” and report to the police any suspicious-looking character around.

“We should remember that not taking action because of fear could lead to even greater harm. Not reporting to the authorities will not solve the crime,” Javier said.

– With Pete Laude