Robbery suspect shot dead in escape try at Quezon City hall

MANILA, Philippines – A robbery suspect –arrested recently in Quezon City and found to have a string of cases in Manila – was shot dead in the outskirts of the Quezon City Hall compound after he attempted to fight off policemen who were hunting him down after he escaped from his police escort on his way to inquest proceedings yesterday afternoon.

Jhun Malilai, also known as Dante Contado, died on the spot from gunshot wounds he sustained after he attempted to shoot at policemen chasing him at past 5 p.m. yesterday, said Chief Inspector Ritchie Claravall, head of the Quezon City Police District-City Hall Complex Police Office (CHCPO).

“He (suspect) was spotted by operatives of the CIDU (QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit) near the East Avenue entrance to the (city hall) compound. He pointed a gun (he stole from his police escort) at the policemen and attempted to open fire, prompting our policemen to fire at him,” Claravall told The STAR in an interview last night following the incident.

Malilai and three other men were arrested by operatives of the QCPD-CHCPO on Tuesday after they allegedly robbed the passengers of an FX taxi near the Quezon Memorial Circle.

To avoid getting arrested after they got off the FX taxi, the suspects transferred from one passenger bus to another.

Policemen managed to stay on their trail by checking every bus traveling along East Avenue and Edsa. The chase finally ended when policemen managed to follow the third bus they had boarded along Edsa-Cubao.

According to QCPD Intelligence Division head Superintendent Nestor Abalos, they found out during tactical interrogation that Malilai’s real name was Dante Contado.

“From there, we were able to trace that three courts in Manila had issued separate arrest warrants against him, all for his robbery activities,” Abalos said in a separate interview.

Abalos said one of the arrest warrants date as far back as 2002.