2 suspected robbers killed in Laguna shootout

Two unidentified robbery suspects were killed Tuesday evening after reportedly engaging policemen in a shootout in Biñan, Laguna. Initial reports received by Senior Superintendent Manolito Labador, Laguna police provincial director, showed that at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, two motorcycle cops conducting Oplan Sita saw the suspects on board a motorcycle in a dim area on Manabat Street in Brgy. San Antonio. When the police tried to check and approach them, the suspects sped toward the national highway prompting the police to pursue them. One of the suspect then reportedly fired at the pursuing lawmen, hitting the front shield and right signal light of one of the cops' motorcycle. The policemen returned fire, hitting the back rider first and then the driver. The suspects were brought to Perpetual Help Hospital for treatment but were later pronounced dead. Recovered from the crime scene were a .38 revolver with five empty shells and one live ammunition in its chamber; one .45 pistol with nine live ammunition in the extended magazine and one live ammunition in the chamber. Further investigation showed that before the encounter, the suspects were seen near a Caltex gasoline station believed to be planning to rob the station. — with Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMANews.TV