Gun-for-hire member killed in shootout

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga  – One of the members of a gun-for-hire group was killed during a shootout with policemen in Barangay Sta. Clara, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, yesterday.

Initial report reaching here from Senior Superintendent Allen Bantolo, Bulacan provincial police director, said the identity of the slain suspect was not yet established as of yesterday. Bantolo said the suspect was responsible for the ambush of Lawrence Chua, 44, a businessman and resident of Makati City. Chua, he said, was driving his Nissan Frontier pick-up truck when unidentified armed men riding in tandem on a motorcycle fired upon him along a bypass road in Barangay Sta. Clara, Sta. Maria town.

The report said the victim had just left his farm in Barangay Partida and was on his way to Makati City when the two suspects  blocked his path and without warning successively fired upon his pick-up truck. Bantolo said although Chua sustained seven gunshot wounds he managed to drive his vehicle to the Mateo General Hospital and was later transferred to the Chinese General Hospital in Manila. He said a police mobile team chased the two suspects but was fired upon and a brief exchange of gunfire ensued. 

The suspects then abandoned their motorcycle and commandeered a car driven by Gregorio Vicencio, 47, of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija who was at that time traversing the bypass road together with his family.

The two suspects at gunpoint ordered Vicencio and the other passengers to get out of the vehicle. However, the suspects failed to start the car and escaped by foot through the ricefields.

Police recovered the motorcycle used by the suspects, a .45 caliber pistol, several empty shells and a white polo shirt.

Bantolo said a follow-up operation was conducted in Barangay Sta. Clara after some residents reported to the police the presence of a suspicious-looking man asking for a shirt. While approaching the area, the suspect, who remained unidentified as of press time, tried to escape by running towards a creek but was spotted by the pursuing lawmen.

A brief exchange of firefight ensued that resulted to the killing of one of the suspects.

Bantolo said a manhunt operation has been launched to arrest the cohorts of the victim who was able to escape while the firefight was going on.