2 rob suspects killed in Taguig shootout

MANILA, Philippines - Two men were killed in an encounter with policemen after allegedly robbing a house in Taguig City Thursday night.

Senior Superintendent Camilo Cascolan, Taguig police chief, identified one of the suspects as Rolando Lanzar, a resident of Lirio street in Pembo, Makati City.

His companion remains unidentified and was described to be wearing a gray shirt and jeans with a black backpack, while a third suspect escaped.

Police said the suspects forcibly entered the house of Rodolfo Geronimo, 67, on Nightingale street in Barangay Hagonoy. The three men tied Geronimo to a post using the cable of a cellphone charger, then searched the house for valuables.

It was at this point that a neighbor, Arturo Ginez, 59, paid the victim a visit. Police said the robbers took Ginez’s necklace and used a Toyota Revo (WMX-753) parked in the garage in their escape.

However, the suspects bumped other vehicles while traversing M. L. Quezon street, prompting barangay watchmen and police officers from the nearby Police Community Precinct 4 to give chase.

The suspects abandoned the Revo along Causay street in Signal Village and stole a Lifan motorcycle owned by Rolando Onay. Upon reaching the main road of Dreamland Subdivision, a car driven by a barangay watchman collided with the motorcycle.

The suspects fell from the motorcycle but still managed to throw a hand grenade at pursuing lawmen, who shot at the suspects and hit two of them.

Members of the Special Weapons and Tactics-Explosives Ordinance Division conducted a post-blast investigation and recovered parts of the hand grenade.

The Southern Police District-Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered shells of a .38 caliber and .45 caliber handguns.