5 alleged hijackers killed by police in Valenzuela City

By Ronron
April 29, 2007

Five suspected hijackers were killed in a shootout with policemen dawn of Saturday in Valenzuela City.

Police said a fellow suspect was also arrested, along with three persons with Chinese-sounding names who were supposed to buy the hijacked polyethylene resins contained in a truck.

According to Chief Supt. Pedro Tango, Northern Police District (NPD) Director, the truck (bearing plate number DSN-307), carrying 550 bags of polyethylene resins worth more or less P800,000, was seized by eight suspects past 4 am last Saturday along Maysan Road in Valenzuela City.

Tango said after the armed suspects commandeered the truck, they abandoned its driver and three crew members inside a white Tamaraw FX.

A police agent, who had been monitoring the criminal group, reported the incident to police, prompting quick police action.

Tango said the joint elements from the NPD, Region III Police and Valenzuela City police traced the truck at the Asia Compound located along T. Santiago Street in Barangay Canumay West.

While approaching the said compound at arounf 4:30 am, the police operatives were fired upon by five armed men aboard a Tamaraw FX parked outside the compound.

The shootout resulted in the death of the five suspects, three of whom were later identified only through their aliases as Boy Pasig, the alleged leader; Witwit, the alleged tactician and planner of the group; and Martin, an alleged ex-member of the Philippine Marines.

Recovered from them were one caliber 45, three caliber 38, and two hand grenades.

Tango said the truck driver and crew members positively identified the slain suspects as among those who assaulted them.

A search inside the compound also resulted to the arrest of a certain Virgilio Alberca while he was supervising the unloading of the stolen goods, and three persons with the following Chinese-sounding names: Lino Tiu, Wilson Chiang, and Tan Ca Tiu, all of Canumay Trading, the buyer of the hijacked items.

Two other suspected back-up members of the hijacking group evaded arrest.

The arrested suspect will be charged for robbery in band, while the three persons with Chinese-sounding names will be charged for violation of the Anti-Fencing Law.

All four arrested persons are now detained at the NPD headquarters./DMS