Wednesday, December 24, 2008 4 'kidnappers' killed
FOUR suspected kidnappers were killed in a shootout with the policemen in Valenzuela City early Tuesday morning.
Raul Castañeda, chief of the police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), named one of the slain suspects as Michael Pameron, a member of the notorious Villaver kidnap-for-ransom and robbery group. The identities of the three other suspects were not immediately known.
Castañeda said Pameron was supposed to lead a six-man group of the gang in robbing their next targets, described by the police only as wealthy men from Valenzuela and San Juan.
Prior to the shootout, CIDG Regional Director for Metro Manila Isagani Nenez said they received information about the plan of the group, prompting to adopt a well-laid operation to preempt them.
After a thorough assessment of the information received, Nenez formed a team led by Superintendent Jonnel Estomo to validate and pinpoint the exact location of their would-be target in Barangay Canumay, Valenzuela.
Before the suspects could reach their target, the CIDG team, backed up by Valenzuela and Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (Pacer) policemen, spotted the suspects' vehicle at 2:35 a.m. Tuesday along North Luzon Expressway at the vicinity of the Malinta exit where a checkpoint had been established.
Apparently sensing the presence of the policemen, the suspects tried to turn back, but Nenez's team was quick to block their way.
"Sensing their impending arrest, the well-armed men alighted and scampered their way to safety while firing their guns," said Nenez.
A running gun battle ensued for almost 10 minutes resulting in the death of the four suspects. Two of their companions were able to flee through the dimly-lit, grassy portion of the highway.
The policemen recovered at the scene an Ingram machine pistol, a caliber .9mm revolver, a pistolized shotgun, and spent shells of .9mm and 5.56mm ammunition. Also recovered was the suspects' Revo van. (VR/JRDB/Sunnex)
