Police foiled an attempted assassination of a local official in Biñan City, Laguna when they intercepted the two alleged gunmen who were both killed in a brief gun battle early Friday morning, Oct. 30.
Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum, director of the Highway Patrol Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP-HPG)), said they are yet to identify the slain suspects but the initial report they received disclosed that the two had criminal records.
“They were ex-convicts and members of a gun-for-hire group operating in the Southern Luzon area,” said Tagum.
He said HPG personnel wearing civilian clothes were deployed in Biñan City after they confirmed reports that the assassination would be carried out early morning of Sunday, Nov. 1. The police did not reveal the name of the slain suspects’ target.
The suspects were reportedly on board a sedan, which was spotted at the Shell Gasoline Station along the Manila South Road in Barangay San Antonio in Biñan City at around 1 a.m.
When HPG personnel tried to flag the vehicle down, the driver sped off. The ensuing car chase ended when the suspects’ vehicle crashed.
Instead of surrendering, however, Tagum said the two suspects allegedly fired at the policemen, which led to a brief gunfight that killed the two.
Recovered from the scene were one .45-caliber pistol and .38 revolver, both with ammunition, spent shells, numerous fake identification cards, and fake license plates.