Three alleged members of a car theft and robbery syndicate died in an alleged encounter with Quezon City policemen before dawn yesterday.
The suspects, who remain unidentified, were killed when they reportedly engaged law enforcers in a firefight while trying to escape using a stolen motorcycle.
Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 6 chief, Superintendent Antonio Yarra said the incident happened at around 4:30 a.m. along Commonwealth Avenue.
According to Yarra, one Mark Emmanuel, 24, and a companion reported that their Honda XRM was forcibly taken by three men who also took their wallets near Litex Road around 3:30 a.m.
Yarra said police officers immediately manned Commonwealth Avenue’s observation points after being alerted and eventually spotted the suspects riding the stolen motorcycle near Capitol Drive in Tandang Sora.
He said his men were immediately dispatched to the area to effect arrests but the trio tried to escape by fleeing towards the direction of Fairview.
“Then they traded shots with pursuing policemen,” Yarra told The STAR noting that one of the suspects jumped off the motorcycle and tried to use a footbridge to get to the opposite lane but was killed before he could escape.
He said the other two were able to drive away for about 500 meters more before police caught up with them near Don Antonio Heights, where they were killed.
Yarra said the victims, after giving their statements, were asked to come to the scene, where they identified the suspects as the ones who robbed them.
Police were able to retrieve a Magnum 357 revolver and two .38 caliber handguns from the suspects, who appeared to be between 35 to 40 years old.
Yarra said the suspects had scorpion and cobra tattoos on their bodies.