7 robbery suspects slain in Batangas shootout

MANILA, Philippines — Seven robbery suspects were killed in an alleged firefight with police officers in Agoncillo, Batangas yesterday morning.

Police have yet to identify the fatalities, who were reportedly members of the “Baklas-Bubong” robbery group.

Senior Superintendent Edwin Quilates, Batangas police director, said the group could be behind the series of robbery incidents that victimized commercial establishments in the province.

Quilates said the provincial police  have been tracking down the suspects since 2017. 

He said the group entered the establishments such as supermarkets and feed mills by removing a portion of the roof.

After taking the store’s earnings, the suspects would escape in a white Toyota Hi-Ace van (TIH-344).

“This is an intelligence-driven operation of the Batangas police because there have been robberies in the past several months,” Quilates said.

Police set up a checkpoint in Barangay Berinayan in Laurel town after they spotted the suspects at the boundary of Talisay and Tagaytay at dawn.

“The suspects ignored and rammed the checkpoint barriers, prompting a chase that ended in Barangay Banyaga in Agoncillo,” Superintendent Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson for the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) police, said.

Instead of surrendering, the suspects reportedly drew their guns and opened fire at the officers, triggering a firefight.

No one was killed or wounded among the officers.

Probers recovered five firearms, bonnets and several pieces of tools from the scene of the encounter. – With Arnel Ozaeta