EIGHT suspected robbers were killed after they engaged the policemen in a running gun battle in Tarlac and Nueva Ecija Sunday night, a police official said Monday.
Central Luzon Police Regional Director Leonilo dela Paz said the firefight was a result of information received from concerned civilians about the movement of the robbers.
He said the fatalities belonged to two robbery groups that are operating in the region. They are the Igorot/Bonnet gang and Bumatay gang led by Genaro Pascual alias Boy Bumatay who was among those killed.
According to dela Paz, the two groups were to rob the residence of Hilario Legaspi in Victoria town in Tarlac.
"Based on the information relayed by a confidential informant, the plan will be executed anytime on December 21. Thus, a sting operation was conducted wherein operating elements were pre-positioned at the residential compound of Mr. Legaspi," he said.
The police official said the robbers were surprised to see policemen in front of the businessman's house at 7:20 p.m. Sunday.
Policemen were pre-positioned at the residence as part of the efforts to foil the robbery.
The incident triggered an initial shootout in front of Legaspi's house, resulting in the death of two robbers, including Lucio Guinayen Jr.
The six other suspects, including Pascual, died in another firefight in Sto. Domingo town in Nueva Ecija.
The robbers fled to the area after escaping from the initial scene of the gun battle.
Three other suspects were identified in the second encounter. They were Peter Lomibao, Judy Ferrer, and Alfredo Melano.
Policemen seized from the suspects seven cal. 38 revolvers, two motorcycles with license plates OJ-2281 and CN 1663, and a Kia Besta van (XBS-994). (VR/Sunnex)
