Police operatives gunned down seven armed members of a suspected robbery-gangs in a shootout in Batangas early dawn Monday.
Sr. Supt. Edwin Quilates, Batangas police director, said the robbery suspects, who have yet to be identified, were killed after they exchanged gunfire with police operatives in Barangay Banyaga, in Agoncillo town at about 4:45 a.m.
Quilates said the suspects had earlier pulled a heist at a commercial establishment in Batangas province, which alerted authorities who subsequently monitored the movements of the group.
Quilates added that the suspects were involved in several robbery activities in the province. Last Feb. 23, the group reportedly burglarized a feeds mill/grocery by dismantling its roof. The robbery, however, was monitored through the CCTV.
In its latest heist, the robbery gang used a white Toyota Hi-Ace Van with license plate TIH 344 with blue LED lights on both side mirrors.
The suspects were monitored to be travelling along the boundary of Talisay town and Tagaytay City, prompting police operatives along the said roads to try to intercept the suspects.
Quilates said policemen posted in Laurel town spotted the white Toyota van approaching its checkpoint in Barangay Berinayan, but instead of stopping, the van carrying the suspects rammed the checkpoint barriers and tried to escape.
The policemen chased the suspects for 45 minutes. The van passed another checkpoint in Barangay Banyaga, and this time the suspects fired at the authorities.
The police retaliated, which resulted in the killing of all seven robbery suspects, and the recovery of at least five firearms.
Quilates said the group had been involved in a series of robberies, victimizing a total of eight establishments since 2017, carting away more than P2 million.
Based on the profiles, the suspects were not natives of Batangas province but originated from other provinces.
