4 carjack suspects slain in shootout

MANILA, Philippines - An alleged leader of a carjack gang and his three companions were killed yesterday in a brief shootout with policemen and military personnel in Muntinlupa City.

Arnel Canque, alleged gang driver Ricardo Orbina and two reported accomplices were about to sell a stolen Toyota Vios for P150,000 when they were cornered by policemen in Barangay Tunasan at about 1:34 a.m. yesterday. The two suspects remain unidentified.

Instead of surrendering, Canque and his gang chose to shoot it out with a composite team of police and military agents, said Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Espina said Canque was released from prison last March after serving time for robbery. Canque applied for various jobs but because of his record, he failed to land any until he decided to rejoin his former gang, composed of Pampangueños and ex-detainees, police said.

“Records show that the group of Arnel Canque, composed of ex-detainees, is responsible in the series of carjacking incidents in Quezon City and Manila. He gained notoriety in disguising himself as a police officer by wearing police patrol shirt uniform during their carjacking activities,” he said.

Espina added that a surveillance camera caught Canque withdrawing money from an ATM machine using a carjack victim’s card, prompting the Quezon City Police District to file robbery charges against him.

Tipoff

Superintendent Ronald Lee, chief of the Regional Police Intelligence and Operating Unit (RPIOU), said an informant tipped them off Monday that four men were selling for P150,000 a Toyota Vios with license plate ZCN-566.

Acting on the information,members of the RPIOU, Highway Patrol Group, Military Intelligence Group 24 and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines gathered at a gas station at the Alabang Town Center, the meeting place of the car deal.

“We asked for a viewing and demo of the said vehicle while at the same time coordinated with the LTO (Land Transportation Office) and we found out that the said license plate was issued to a Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up,” said Lee in an interview.

Lee said four men arrived in the Vios at around 1 a.m. When they were about to accost the four suspects, they sped off toward Barangay Daang Hari. The lawmen gave chase as Lee alerted Senior Superintendent Conrado Capa, Muntinlupa City police chief, who had his men set up checkpoints at all possible exits.

Lee said the suspects shot at them while fleeing, but the police officers did not return their fire for fear of hitting bystanders and residents.

The suspects’ vehicle came to a complete stop when the driver lost control of the steering wheel and hit a cement fence along Victoria Homes in Barangay Tunasan.

While getting out of the vehicle, the suspects continued to shoot at the pursuing lawmen, prompting the police officers to return fire.

Canque and his companions died on the spot from gunshot wounds. Two .45 caliber pistols, two .38 revolvers, loaded magazines, assorted ammunition, two license plates, four police athletic uniforms and three cell phones were recovered from their possession.

The Vios was forcibly taken from Mary Joy Tabora on Oct. 20 as she was driving along España in Manila. The car’s original plate number was ZCH-143.

Tabora said she identified her car from the television news reports of the shootout. Senior Inspector Rizalino Pecayo of the Manila Police District accompanied her to the NCRPO yesterday to process the papers for the release of her car.

Lee revealed that Canque’s gang had stolen at least 22 motor vehicles since July. The informant said Canque earns P50,000 for every stolen Toyota Vios sold and P150,000 for Toyota Fortuners and Mitsubishi Montero Sports.– With Rey Galupo