CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Five persons including a Filipino-Chinese were shot dead in separate places in Central Luzon including Clark Freeport, Bulacan and Pampanga over the weekend, authorities said.
Three of the fatalities were alleged members of a robbery hold-up group who shoot it out with lawmen at Barangay Poblacion, Pandi Bulacan, late Saturday evening. They remained unidentified as of press time.
Police Colonel Emma Libunao, director Bulacan Provincial Police Office, said the suspects were about to pull a robbery in an appliance store when they apparently sensed the presence of lawmen and decided to abort and attempted to evade arrest.
Libunao said the suspects were cornered at a grassy area of Pandi town but they opted to engage in a firefight wuth policemen.
Over in Clark Freeport, businessman Alexander Yu, 48, of Beijing Street, Fontana Leisure Resort, Clark Freeport, was shot dead at point-blank range while onboard a car on his way out of Fontana late Saturday afternoon.
Yu is allegedly the right-hand man of Jack Lam, owner of Fontana Leisure Resort. The suspect, identified as Chibu Chan, 50, a Chinese and temporarily staying at Villa 4704 Fontana Leisure resort, was immediately arrested by Clark Development Corporation (CDC) security police.
The victim suffered five fatal gunshot wounds in different parts of his body and died on the spot while seated at a black Mazda sedan (ZZB-995).
Police said Chan was on board Yu’s car and were arguing on top of their voice. Moments later gunshots rang. according to witnesses. In the City of San Fernando (Pampanga), a member of the dreaded Tinio Illegal Drugs Group, reportedly operating in Pampanga and nearby areas, was shot dead following a running gunbattle at the New Public Market here dawn Monday.
Police Lt. Colonel Paul Gamido, San Fernando police chief, said the suspect is the remnant of Tinio Group after three of its members fall in recent police anti-illegal drugs operations.
Gamido said the group is also responsible in the theft of motorcycles, gunrunning and robbery hold-up in City of San Fernando.