NORZAGARAY, Bulacan -- A man wanted for rape and who evaded arrest for half a decade was killed in a shootout with policemen who were about to serve him a warrant of arrest at Sitio Anaab, Brgy. San Mateo here on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.
Lt. Col. Jaime B. Quiocho Jr., acting chief of police, identified the slain suspect as Ismael Zabala of Sitio Anahaw, Brgy. San Mateo this town.
Police investigators said Zabala has an existing warrant of arrest issued on June 29, 2016 for five counts of rape.
Based on the investigation, when the joint forces of Norzagaray police and Bulacan 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) were about to serve the warrant of arrest at about 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Zabala opened fire at the lawmen. A gunbattle ensued leading to the instantaneous death of Zabala.
Recovered from the slain suspect were one caliber 38 revolver Smith and Wesson with a defaced serial number, one caliber 22 magnum rifle with no markings and defaced serial number, four pieces of the spent shell of caliber 38, two live ammunition for the same caliber inside the ball chamber, and one spent shell of caliber .22 still inside the chamber.