3 shot dead in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Three men were shot dead, including two suspected robbers who allegedly engaged police officers in a shootout near the University of Santo Tomas (UST), in Manila since Sunday night.

Manila Police District (MPD) investigators have yet to identify the robbers, whose bodies bore tattoos of the Batang City Jail and Bahala Na gangs.

The encounter stemmed from a complaint by Ricky Olivade, who said the robbers snatched his bag while he was in a computer shop at around 10:20 p.m. Sunday.

The robbers were pursued by Police Officers 3 Jonathan Sosongco and Jerrywin Rebossora of MPD Station 4. The chase allegedly led to a shootout with the lawmen shooting the robbers in the head and chest.

The robbers were taken to the Tondo Medical Center (TMC), where they died while undergoing treatment yesterday morning.

Another man, estimated to be between 20 and 25 years old, had been repeatedly shot when barangay officials found him along Nepa street in Balut, Tondo at around 2:30 a.m. He died on the way to the TMC, police said.