The police identified the fatality as Reynante Ramos, a fruit dealer-vendor of Barangay Ricarte, Diffun town, who was shot four times with a caliber .45 pistol when he reportedly refused to yield his Isuzu Elf truck to the highway robbers in Barangay Dumanisi, Diffun town.
Ramos died on the spot, while his three companions sustained minor injuries.
Ramos’ truck loaded with fruits was recovered by responding Diffun policemen after a pursuit along an isolated road near the Nueva Vizcaya-Quirino boundary.
One of the policemen, PO2 Reynaldo Villasista, sustained leg fractures after their patrol car fell into a ditch while pursuing the robbers.
Chief Superintendent Jefferson Soriano, Cagayan Valley police director, said the hot pursuit operation was still ongoing.
Earlier this month, four suspected highway robbers, believed belonging to the same gang, were arrested here hours after they divested passengers of cash and valuables.
Also this month, five men were killed when they shot it out with policemen in Cauayan City, Isabela after robbing the passengers of a bus. — Charlie Lagasca