13 suspected criminal gang members killed in Quezon encounter

At least 13 suspected robbers were gunned down in an armed encounter with police in Atimonan town in Quezon province Sunday afternoon. A police colonel was also reported seriously wounded in the encounter, which occurred past 3 p.m., radio dzBB reported. The report cited sketchy initial reports indicating police in Atimonan were conducting a checkpoint when the men aboard two vehicles opened fire on them. One of the police officers, described as a police colonel, was hit and rushed to a hospital. He was described to be in critical condition, the report said. A separate report on Bombo Radyo quoted PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. as saying the wounded police colonel was identified as Superintendent Marantan. Cerbo was quoted in the report as saying Marantan was rushed to a private hospital in Lucena City. The Bombo Radyo report also said police recovered from the suspects high-powered firearms, including an M-14 rifle and a baby armalite. — BM, GMA News