Four carnapping suspects slain in Muntinlupa clash
Four alleged car thieves were shot dead by highway patrol officers in Muntinlupa City Friday morning. Police Brig. Gen. Robert Fajardo, head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG), said three of the suspects died on the spot, while the fourth one died later in a hospital.
The suspects have yet to be identified, but Fajardo told Manila Bulletin several supposed police and military ID cards were recovered from them.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered at the crime scene three IDs – a driver’s license, a PNP ID, and a Philippine Army ID – belonging to a certain Christwin Villanueva.
A separate police ID belonging to a certain SPO4 Wilson Advincula and an Army ID from a Sergeant Rommel Villanueva were also found at the encounter site.
Several police uniforms were also discovered, the report added.
“Some of the IDs use the same pictures but have different names,” Fajardo said.
Based on initial investigation, the HPG received a flash alert about a stolen Hyundai Accent car with conduction plate number MP 0669.
Fajardo said he ordered operatives of the HPG Special Operations Division Mobiles 11 and 12 to set up a checkpoint on Don P. Reyes Ave., Daang Reyna, Southville 3 in Poblacion, Muntinlupa.
At around 5:25 a.m., the operatives spotted and flagged down the subject vehicle. “The operatives signalled the driver of the subject motor vehicle to pull over but instead of yielding, the occupants opened fire towards the [police],” Fajardo said in a police report.
After a running gunbattle, the HPG operatives cornered the suspects, Fajardo stated.
Upon verification with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Mobile Query tool, the HPG chief bared that the conduction sticker attached to the car was originally assigned to a Hyundai Eon.
Fajardo said a follow-up investigation was conducted to determine whether the police IDs and uniforms were genuine.
This was echoed by Police Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, when asked for a comment by this reporter.
“Yes, HPG is conducting a follow-up investigation on this reported police IDs and uniforms recovered from the suspects,” Banac said.
The sale of police uniforms has long been restricted. According to the two PNP officials, several incidents in the past were recorded where lawless elements used fake police uniforms and IDs to orchestrate high-profile crimes.
Meanwhile, the HPG also coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to check the authenticity of the recovered military ID.
Meanwhile, Fajardo said a man, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, went to the encounter site and said the car used by the suspects was the same vehicle used by the car thieves who hijacked his van in Taguig City on Thursday night.
“He couldn’t identify the suspects but he recognized the vehicle used by the carnappers,” Fajardo said.
“The van was no longer recovered but its key was found on one of the suspects,” he noted.
The SOCO team recovered a shotgun and a sachet of suspected shabu from the suspect who died in the hospital.