“Noted robber” shot dead

CEBU, Philippines — An alleged notorious robber in Balamban town, Cebu, was shot dead after firing at policemen who came to arrest him Wednesday morning.

Riel Lumandas Narvasa, 29, from Barangay Lanipga, Consolacion, was declared dead on arrival at the hospital after choosing to resist arrest. He was blamed for a series of robberies in Cebu Province.

Earlier, informants told policemen about the whereabouts of the suspect and authorities were able to locate Narvasa’s temporary hideout in a mountainous part of Balamban.

A joint force of police personnel from the Consolacion and Balamban Police stations moved in.

“Natuyokan iyang balay sa tropa…wala man sya ni surrender…namusil siya’g una,” said Police Major Verniño Noserale, chief of the Consolacion Police Station.

Among the items seized from Narvasa was a motorcycle that turned out to be owned by a motorcycle-for-hire (habal-habal) driver whom Narvasa robbed and shot in Barangay Tugbungan last week. As a result the victim lost his eyesight and is still undergoing treatment in a hospital.

Narvasa was also blamed for robbing several convenience stores around the province, including a gasoline station in Consolacion town.

Noserale said that they were able to verify Narvasa’s identity in the series of robbery cases after his face was clearly recorded by the CCTV footage retrieved during the investigations.

Aside from the motorcycle, police also confiscated from Narvasa a 9mm cal. pistol, and two packs of suspected shabu estimated at 10 grams. — BRP (FREEMAN)