Carjack suspect pretends to be a victim

MANILA, Philippines -  A suspected carjacker was killed in a shootout when he pretended to be a victim, then shot at the policemen who came to his aid in Quezon City before dawn yesterday.

Police officers found a .357 revolver and a taxi (UVJ-853) in the possession of Kasim Ibrahim, 51, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent George Regis said, adding that they also found a cell phone, a wallet and P420 that Ibrahim took from cabbie Armando Tabuada, 53.

QCPD Station 12 commander Superintendent Norberto Babagay said Police Officers 2 Rommel Apanay and Roy Penaberde were on routine patrol when they spotted a taxi parked at a dimly lit portion of Panzalan street at around 3 a.m.

“He was calling out ‘Sir! Sir!’ to our policeman, appearing to be a victim,” Senior Inspector Mar Navarro told The STAR.

The suspect was then carrying a jacket that concealed a gun, which he fired at the two policemen before he started running away, Navarro said.

Police officers ran after the suspect as they traded gunshots during the chase, he said.

Tabuada told policemen that the suspect flagged him down along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City and told him to go to the corner of 5th and Hemady streets in New Manila. He said the suspect robbed him and took his taxi when they reached the area.