Robbery suspect dies in Davao City shootout
PATROLLING Davao City policemen on Tuesday caught up with a fleeing armed robbery suspect and shot him dead in an ensuing gunbattle, Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) Director Brigadier General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. said.
According to the official, police officers spotted the suspect in Purok 15, Santo Niño, Barangay Lambo in Buhangin District past 1 a.m. Tuesday while responding to a reported robbery-holdup incident.
Silo said that it turned out that a tricycle driver of nearby Bgy. Indangan was looking for passengers in the area when he was flagged down by the suspect, who was wearing black cargo short pants and a sando. The man asked that he be brought to Sitio Lambo in Bgy. Indangan.
Shortly after boarding the tricycle, the suspect, described as between 40-45 years old and about 5’5” in height, suddenly pulled out a concealed firearm from his waistline and declared a holdup.
The armed suspect then grabbed the cellphone and blue pouch of the victim containing his money and some personal belongings before fleeing on foot.
Silo said the driver did not lose his composure and looked for officers patrolling the area. He later spotted a mobile patrol and informed its crew of the incident.
Officers began scouring the area until they spotted the suspect, who refused to yield peacefully and instead fired shots at them, prompting them to retaliate.
The gunman was hit in the body and was transported to the Southern Philippines Medical Center, wherein an attending physician declared him dead upon arrival.
Silo said that a team of Davao City Forensic Unit personnel recovered a caliber .45 semi-automatic pistol without a serial number, a magazine, and the stolen pouch containing P3,209, the driver’s license of the victim and his cellphone at the scene of the firefight.
He added that when inspected, the slain suspect’s right front pocket also yielded a small plastic sachet of shabu.
