6 suspected car thieves killed in QC, Makati encounters

Law enforcers dealt at least two carjack-robbery gangs a major blow before dawn Wednesday, killing at least six suspects in separate encounters in Quezon City and Makati. But at least one policeman was wounded during one of the encounters, which took place near a parking lot in Makati City. In Quezon City, at least five members of the Lintag Gang were killed in a running firefight with police along a portion of Congressional Avenue. The Lintag Gang had been linked to a string of robbery cases, according to a report by radio dzBB's Allan Gatus. Many members of the group were remnants of the Alvin Flores robbery-carjack group, the dzBB report added. Police operatives closed off a portion of Congressional Avenue to vehicles before 6 a.m., slowing down traffic in the area. Quezon City Police District Station 3 head Superintendent Lito Feliciano said they had been keeping tabs on the gang for the past several days. Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said they also recovered high-powered firearms in the Quezon City encounter. "Na-encounter ng magkasanib na pwersa ng QCPD at anti-carjacking. Lima ang nakabulagta sa grupo. May (na-recover) na cal-.45 at may Baby Armalite (Police and anti-carjacking operatives encountered the suspects in Quezon City. We recovered cal-.45 pistols and Baby Armalite firearms from them)," Pagdilao said in an interview on dzMM radio. Pagdilao also said their initial information on the Lintag Group showed its members include ex-convicts. "Ang member nito ayon sa ating records, ex-convict kaya labas-pasok sa kulungan (Our records show this gang's members include ex-convicts who go in and out of prison)," he said in an interview on dzRH radio.

Makati shootout In Makati City, meanwhile, police killed at least one member of another criminal gang, the Onad Group, which had been linked to car thefts in parts of Metro Manila. A report by radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen said the suspects were in a silver Ford Escape sport-utility vehicle at a parking lot near a hospital. The shootout occurred at 4 a.m. between Metro Manila regional intelligence police and the gang members at an open parking area near the Philippine Development Alternative Foundation near the Makati Medical Center at the corner of Tindalo Extension and Buendia Avenue. The silver Ford SUV (ZBX-640), which was believed carjacked, was peppered with bullet holes during the encounter. Recovered from the vehicle were cal-.45 and cal-.38 firearms. However, another member of the gang managed to escape, police said. "Sa grupo nila Onad meron din may tama (We managed to hit at least one member of the gang)," Makati City police head Superintendent Jaime Santos said in an interview on dzBB, citing sketchy initial information reaching him. But he said one policeman, initially identified as PO1 Balauag, was seriously wounded. A separate dzBB report said the policeman was hit in the chest. — RSJ, GMA News