8 rob gang suspects killed in gun battle from Tarlac to Nueva Ecija

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – Eight members of a dreaded robber – holdup gang operating in Central Luzon were killed during an encounter with combined police operatives in Barangay Baculong, Victoria, Tarlac and in Barangay Burgos, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, Sunday night.

Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo De la Cruz, Central Luzon police director, identified the fatalities as Lucio Guinayen Jr., Genero Pascual, alias Boy Bumatay, the alleged leader of the gang of Barangay San Isidro, Lupao, Peter Lolibao of San Jose City, Judy Ferrer of Barangay Parista, Lupao, all from Nueva Ecija, Alfreo Melano alias Janggo of Umingan, Pangasinan while three others remained unidentified.

De la Cruz said the suspects were members of the Bumatay Group and remnants of the Bonnet Gang.

He said that the Tarlac police received from an informant the plan of the group to rob P3 million from the house of Hilario Boy Legaspi, 58, a businessman of Sitio Sto. Rosario, Barangay Baculong, Victoria town.

Combined operatives of Tarlac police, Tarlac Criminal Investigation and Detection Team (CIDT), conducted a surveillance operation at the residence of Legaspi to verify the said information.

At about 7:20 p.m. Sunday, undetermined number of armed men tried to enter the compound of Legaspi.

The operating team who were positioned at the gate of the compound, introduced themselves as police officers but the suspects fired upon the lawmen.

A brief exchange of firefight ensued resulting to the killing of Guinayen and his unidentified cohort.

Their remaining companions, De la Cruz said, managed to escape using two motorcycles and a white Besta van towards Nueva Ecija.

A hot pursuit operation was conducted by police teams for possible apprehension of the fleeing suspects.

At about 10:30 p.m. the fleeing suspects fired upon the policemen who were manning a checkpoint in Barangay Burgos, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, prompting the lawmen to retaliate.

The brief firefight resulted to the killing of the suspects, said De la Cruz.

Recovered from the suspects were seven.38 caliber revolvers, two Bajaj motorcycles OJ-2281,cn-1663) and a Vesta van (XBS-994).

No casualties were reported from the police side.  – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, AP