2 ex-cops, teacher slain in ambuscades

BATANGAS, Philippines – Two former police officers and an elementary school teacher were killed in two separate ambuscades in the cities of Lipa and Batangas in the past two days.

Senior Superintendent Jesus Gatchalian, Batangas police director, identified the victims as former SPO4 Balbino Claus and his common-law wife, Serapia Soriano, a Grade 3 teacher at the Malalim Elementary School, and Patrolman Alex Reyes, 48.

Police said Claus was about to send Soriano and his 10-year-old grandson to school on board an owner-type jeep when they were waylaid by at least two men in Barangay Malalim, Batangas City at around 6:30 a.m. yesterday.

Witnesses said the suspects, which were armed with M-16 Armalite rifles, fled on a white unlicensed car.

Soriano died while being treated for a bullet wound in the head at the Jesus of Nazareth Hospital.

On Tuesday, Reyes was cruising the Ayala Highway in Barangay Balintawak, Lipa City on a motorcycle when he was shot.

Police said the gunmen fled on board a white L-300 van toward Manila.

Scene-of-the-crime investigators found four empty M-16 shells and 18 empty caliber 9-mm shells at the crime scene.

Police were still clueless on both incidents.