Police kill 5 members of alleged robbery gang in Quezon City

Police killed in a shootout five members of a reportedly notorious robbery group in barangay (village) Holy Spirit in Quezon City on Sunday afternoon. Chief Supt. Ricardo Radovan of the Quezon City Police District said that the fatalities were reportedly members of the Vallasca robbery-holdup group that is responsible for the killing of at least three policemen. Those killed were only identified as Puyo, Nonong, Paterno, Joseph, and one who is still unidentified. Another unidentified member of the group, who was fatally wounded in the clash, was rushed to a hospital. Radovan said the Vallasca group was allegedly responsible for a recent robbery holdup in Litex, Quezon City, that resulted in the killing of police officer Edilbero Marasigan and a businesswoman. The group was also believed to be behind the robbery-holdup in Fairview, Quezon City, in 2001 that resulted in the death of SPO4 Dipasupil, and in the 2005 killing of another police officer. Radovan said the gang, reportedly a remnant of the Kuratong Beleleng group, was under surveillance by the Quezon City police intelligence group. He said the gang fired the first bullet prompting the police to return fire. Police recovered from the scene of the shooting a .45 caliber pistol, two .38 caliber revolvers, one 9mm pistol and a homemade shotgun. -GMANews.TV