By DIANN IVY CALUCIN
A suspected motorcycle thief was killed in an alleged shootout with police in Barangay Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Maj. Don Don Llapitan, QCPD-District Anti-Carnapping Unit (DACU) chief, described the slain suspect as about 5"4' tall with slim built and fair complexion, and has tattoo marks "Lito Gomez" on his right arm and "Edwin Ching" on his back. He was wearing a black hoody jacket and short brown pants.
According to the police report, DACU coordinated with the Fairview Police Station (PS 5) after the victim, Ronan Lamadora Samonte, reported to them that his motorcycle was forcibly taken by two men at the corner of Dhalia St. and Walnut St. in Brgy. Fairview, Quezon City, at about 1:15 a.m.
The police officers together with the victim went to the area where they spotted two men onboard different motorcycles, one of which was the victim's motorcycle.
The victim positively identified the suspects as the same persons who took his vehicle.
The suspects sped off when DACU operatives flagged them down.
The cops chased and cornered the suspects on Mindanao Ave. Extension in Brgy. Sta. Monica, Novaliches, Quezon City.
As the operatives were getting out of their vehicle, one of the suspects suddenly pulled out his handgun and fired at them, hitting the bullet-proof vest of one police officer.
A brief shootout ensued, resulting in the death of one of the suspects. His cohort managed to escape.
Recovered from the crime scene were one unit of Sanyang Motor (SYM), a black Honda Click motorcycle, and a .38-caliber revolver.
Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III lauded the operatives for their prompt response.
“Ginagampanan ng ating kapulisan ang kanilang tungkulin subalit kailangan din nilang protektahan ang kanilang sarili sa anumang kapahamakan kung kaya naman nananawagan kami sa mga suspek na sumuko na lamang nang matiwasay at huwag nang magtangkang lumaban pa upang maiwasan ang ganitong insidente (Our police just perform their duties but they also need to protect themselves from harm. We call on the suspects to surrender peacefully and don’t try to resist in order to avoid this kind of incident),” Torre said.
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Carnapping, Shootout, Metro News
Photo Courtesy: Quezon City Police District/MANILA BULLETIN