TACLOBAN CITY – The Police Regional Office-8 has identified the three policemen who were killed and four others who were wounded in an encounter with suspected members of a criminal gang on Tuesday morning, January 30, in Barangay Mahayag, Santa Margarita, Samar.
POLICE secure the highway in Santa Margarita, Samar as a gun battle between lawmen and a criminal gang rages in an upland barangay in the municipality on January 30. (Contributed photo by Rommel Rutor)
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/30/3-cops-killed-in-clash-with-crime-group-in-samar
The fatalities were identified as Police Staff Sgt. Christian Tallo of the 1st Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company, Police Corporal Eliazar Estrelles Jr. of the 1st SPMFC, and Police Master Sgt. Paul Terence Paclibar of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-8.
Wounded-in-action were Police Corporal Rannel Pedamato, Police Corporal Mark Jason Sixta, Police Patrolman Ham Kritnere Capalis, and Police Patrolman Mark Redoblado, all from the 1st SPMFC.
The wounded lawmen were airlifted from Barangay Mahayag, an upland village about 15 kilometers from the town proper, to Saint Camillus Hospital in Calbayog City, Samar.
The bodies of the fatalities were brought to a funeral home in Calbayog City.
Four unidentified gang members were arrested during the service of five warrants of arrest for murder against Edito Ampoan Jr., the alleged leader of the Ampoan Criminal Gang, and Jojo Altarejos and Rogelio Macorol for rape.
Police seized an M16 rifle, a caliber .45 pistol, and ammunition.
All stations and units in Samar have been placed on alert status and directed to conduct simultaneous checkpoints while 1st SPMFC teams were deployed for reinforcement while blocking forces and hot pursuit operations were launched against the fleeing suspects.