(UPDATE) 4 suspected car thieves killed in in Taguig City
By DJ Yap
Inquirer
Last updated 03:56pm (Mla time) 10/04/2007
MANILA, Philippines—Four suspected car thieves were gunned down in an alleged shootout following a brief chase with the police along C-5 Road in Taguig City early Thursday.
Three of the suspects died on the spot during the gunfight that occurred beneath the Sampaguita Bridge in Ususan village at about 2 a.m., while the fourth died on the way to the hospital.
Only two of them were immediately identified from their driver's licenses: Gona Isao, 45, of Murphy, Quezon City, and Geraldo Moster, 31, of Pinagkawitan, Lipa City, Batangas, the police said.
Based on the investigation, a team of Task Force Limbas agents was conducting operations against car thieves when they chanced upon the suspects on board a Mitsubishi Adventure along southbound C-5.
The agents led by Sr. Insp. Julius Bernados took note of the plate number, XRS-951, which upon verification turned out to be the subject of an alarm and was actually registered to another vehicle, the police said.
Bernados told the Taguig police that his team had tried to flag down the Adventure but the suspects ignored them and suddenly took the U-turn slot toward the northbound lane.
Upon reaching the bridge the suspects alighted from the vehicle and allegedly opened fire at the pursuing policemen, according to a report by Chief Insp. Celso Rodriguez of the Taguig police' investigation section.
Isao and the two unidentified suspects were killed instantly, while Moster died as he was being rushed to the Rizal Medical Center, the police said.
Recovered from the suspects were three .45 cal. pistols, two hand grenades, two cellular phones, several spent shells of an M16 rifle, as well as .45 cal. and 9 mm shells.
Originally posted at 07:58 am