Reporter, 2 others killed in Rizal shootout

(Updated 9:03 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines - Three people, including a tabloid reporter, were killed Wednesday morning in an encounter between law enforcers and alleged members of a drug syndicate in Taytay town in Rizal province. Taytay Police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Pion identified two of the victims as PO2 Virgilio dela Cruz, a member of the operating team, and Jojo Trajano, who writes for local tabloid Remate. A report on GMA News' "24 Oras" said a suspect, identified only as Jack, was also killed in the shootout. Police Inspector Ariston Dogwe, head of the Rizal Provincial Police Office's Special Operations Group, said Jack's body may have been retrieved by his family in accordance with the Muslim tradition of immediately burying their dead. DOA Trajano was declared dead on arrival at the Metro East Medical Center due to bullet wounds in the body. Dela Cruz was also brought to the same hospital but he died later due to bulletwounds in the head and body. Citing initial investigation, Pion said Trajano was with the police operatives when they were fired upon by the suspects led by a certain "Soren." Pion claimed the reporter accompanied the cops because “there is Department of Justice order that the presence of media is needed during anti-drug operations." Because of this incident, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is set to review its procedures on allowing media men in joining police operations. “We will review the procedures pertaining to that but we have left it to the territorial units to see to it the safety of everybody not only operatives but those who would be joining the operations," said PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa. “We hope that our media personalities will also coordinate properly and also consider within themselves the threats that is there when they join police operations," he added. Operation Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, director of the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) Police, said the incident happened while members of the Rizal Provincial Special Operations Group were raiding the lair of suspected drug dealers at around 2:30 a.m. in San Vener Lupang Arenda in Barangay Sta. Ana. Palad said that as soon as the cops entered the hideout, at least five men engaged them in a close-range gun battle that lasted for several minutes. The TV report said six residents, four of them women, were arrested and detained at the PNP Rizal Headquarters. They will be charged with illegal possession of drugs after sachets of shabu, marijuana and various drug paraphernalia were found in their possession. Soren and another companion, meanwhile, were able to elude the operatives. - with Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV