3 murder suspects killed in Laguna road accident

MANILA, Philippines - Three barangay security officials (tanods) were killed in a road accident Sunday while they were being chased by policemen in the southern Luzon province of Laguna, a police official said Monday. Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, head of the Calabarzon Police, said the three were being chased after allegedly killing Adolfo Malipo, councilor of Sto. Tomas town in Batangas province, in a traffic altercation earlier in the day. Palad said the three – Arcadio Mendoza, Antonio Mendoza and Teodoro Ramos, all security officials of Barangay Santisimo Rosario in San Pablo City, Laguna – died when the vehicle they were riding figured in a head-on collision with a passenger jeepney in Alaminos town. Arcadio Mendoza and Ramos died on the spot, while Antonio Mendoza succumbed to serious injuries at the Pagamutang Panlalawigan ng Laguna in San Pablo City. Palad said two other suspects were injured in the accident, namely Jimmy Corales and Rodante Mendoza. Corales is now confined at Pagamutang Panlalawigan ng Laguna while Mendoza was transferred to the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. Both Corales and Mendoza are under tight guard as they were tagged responsible for Malipo’s death, Palad said. Manhunt operations, meanwhile, were launched to arrest two other suspects, namely Renato Ulan and Renato Hernandez, also security officials of Barangay Santisimo Rosario. Prior to the incident, Palad said the suspects shot it out with Malipo over a traffic altercation along the national highway in San Andres town, also in Laguna. Malipo, who died a few hours after he was taken to the Pagamutang Panlalawigan ng Laguna, was on his way home when he figured in a traffic argument with the suspects, who were on their way back to San Pablo City after attending a fiesta celebration in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. “After the shooting incident, the barangay officials and tanods on board their patrol car quickly escaped towards San Pablo City. Policemen of Sto. Tomas Police Station on board a mobile patrol were informed about the shooting incident. They responded and chased the suspects," Palad said. “Unfortunately, along the national highway at San Andres, Alaminos, the barangay patrol car rammed into an incoming passenger jeepney driven by a certain Noli Batolinao Asis," he added. Palad said he had already ordered the conduct of paraffin test for the two injured suspects to determine if they were among those who shot Malipo. He said murder charges would be filed against them and their two other companions who escaped. - GMANews.TV