2 cops killed in ambush

MANILA, Philippines - Two policemen were killed in an ambush by an undetermined number of attackers in two vehicles at the corner of Congressional Avenue Extension and Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City yesterday afternoon.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele identified the victims as Police Officers 1 Juanito Espinosa de la Cruz and Joselito Capulong, formerly of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), based on Philippine National Police identification cards found in their pockets.

Investigators found a mission order dated Aug. 1 assigning the victims to Police Regional Office 2 in a gray Toyota Fortuner (NIH-665) driven by De la Cruz. Mantele said it is not clear why the victims were in Manila, adding they have yet to confirm the order with the NCRPO.

Mantele said the gunmen must be members of an organized group and that the attack showed it was well-planned. Chief Inspector Benjamin Elenzano, deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), said they have yet to establish the motive for the killing.

De la Cruz and Capulong, who was in the front passenger seat, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds in the head and body. Crime scene investigators found shells fired from an M-16 Armalite rifle and a .45 caliber pistol.

According to initial reports, the ambush happened at around 4 p.m. A red Mitsubishi L-300 van (ZAL-329) rear-ended the Fortuner driven by De la Cruz. Witnesses then saw a Toyota Revo cut into the path of the Fortuner, forcing De la Cruz to stop.

Gunmen from both cars alighted and ordered the two to get down from the sport utility vehicle, but apparently the policemen refused. This prompted the gunmen to shoot at the victims repeatedly. The attackers then returned to their vehicles and sped away from the scene.