FOUR motorcycle riders were killed by police after their refusal to stop for inspection at a checkpoint led to a chase and shootout in Sta. Rita town on Tuesday night, March 12.

The four men were onboard two motorcycles when they were flagged down by personnel of Sta. Rita police at a checkpoint near the boundary of Barangay San Basilio and Barangay Dila Dila.

The said suspects allegedly ignored authorities and instead fled from the area.

Immediately, checkpoint personnel of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) chased the suspects while coordinating with personnel of the Sta. Rita Municipal Police Station for a dragnet operation.

The four men were wounded and rushed to the Diosdado Macapagal Hospital in Guagua town for medical treatment but they were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Recovered from the four men’s possession were one .38 caliber revolver and three .45 caliber pistols. Police were still trying to identify the men as of Wednesday, March 13.

Police Regional Office III Director Joel Coronel lauded the successful neutralization of the four motorcycle riders by the joint forces of Sta. Rita police and 1st Pampanga PMFC.

“As we continue to intensify our aggressive anti-illegal drugs campaign, we also keep on maximizing our anti-criminality efforts especially on motorcycle riding suspects to put a stop if not prevent nefarious activities of these lawless elements,” he said.