Anti-kidnapping operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) killed two suspected members of a criminal group in a shootout in Antipolo City on Thursday morning.
Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, director of the PNP-Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), said the operation was part of the intensified campaign against criminality that includes intelligence-driven conduct of checkpoints.
The two fatalities were only identified through their aliases, Kelly and Roy. They are reportedly members of a criminal group engaged in gun-running, robbery, and kidnap-for-ransom.
Col. Villaflor Bannawagan, head of the AKG-Luzon Field Unit, said his men intercepted the victims after riding a motorcycle with no license plate along Marcos Highway in Sitio Painuman in Barangay Inarawan at around 6 a.m.
“But they tried to evade the checkpoint and shot at the operatives when being flagged down, prompting the latter to retaliate in self-defense,” said Bannawagan.
“This joint checkpoint operation was conducted after the AKG earlier received an intelligence report from the same informant that the suspects were about to commit robbery/hold-up in the area,” he added.
The suspects were reportedly members of a group led by Ryan dela Cruz, a wanted criminal group leader who was also tagged in the illegal drugs trade.
Two of dela Cruz’s men were killed in a police operation in Pililla, Rizal.