Task group formed to probe Tagaytay ‘shootout’

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — The Calabarzon police yesterday created a special investigation task group (SITG) to probe an alleged shootout that resulted in the deaths of two police officers and a lawyer in Tagaytay, Cavite on Sunday.

The SITG “Binalay-Batarao-Santos” is composed of agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Cavite, scene of the crime operatives and other support law enforcement units, according to Lt. Col. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson for the Calabarzon police.

The task group will be headed by Cavite police director Col. Eleuterio Ricardo.

Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, Calabarzon police director, said the task group would reenact the incident inside Prime Peak Subdivision in Barangay Maitim to determine the events that transpired before the shooting.

Lucas said criminal charges were filed yesterday before the Cavite Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against two arrested suspects, identified as Elver Mabuti and Benedicto Hebron, for alleged involvement in the shooting.

Police Captains Adrian Binalay and Tomas Batarao Jr. as well as lawyer Denis Santos were killed in the shootout reportedly over a land dispute.