ANGELES CITY — Three persons including a security guard were killed while another one injured in separate shooting incidents at Barangays Anunas and Mining shortly after midnight Sunday, top police official here said.
Police Colonel Joyce Patrick Sangalang, officer-in-charge of the Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) identified two of the fatalities as Michael John Perez, 31, a security guard and resident of Bgy Anunas and John Adrian Tacla, 20, a native of Ilocos Sur.
Sangalang said Tacla’s companion remained unidentified as of press time.
Sangalang said Tacla and his companion went on shooting rampage killing Perez and injuring another one at a Korean store past 8 p.m. The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.
Sangalang said the suspects fled towards Nepo area. They parked the motorcycle in a dark alley where they changed clothes and continue to flee on foot.
The commotion attracted bystanders and residents there who quickly sought police assistance, said Sangalang who directed all police units in the city to laid out “oplan armor” to prevent the suspects from fleeing further.
Responding policemen recovered an unclicensed motorcycle – Yamaha (Mio) – apparently used by the suspects during their escape.
A sticker on the motorcycle, Sangalang said gave investigators a breakthrough. He said follow-up operations expanded to Fiesta Community at Bgy.
Mining where security personnel of the subdivision easily recognized the motorcycle owned by one of the residents there.
Moments later, Sangalang said a gray Honda car (without license plates) with two occupants on board, arrived but the driver noticed unusual while approaching the garage. He said the driver made a reverse and sped-off prompting lawmen to give chase.
Sangalang said security personnel of the subdivision clamped down all exits to ensure the arrest of the suspects who instead rammed the steel gate and opened fire towards the lawmen tailing them.
Exchanged of gunfire ensued on the process fatally hitting the car driver. One of the car occupants emerged wounded but expired moments later at the hospital.
Police recovered the shirts believed thrown by the suspets to mislead investigators, two handguns including a caliber .45 pistol and caliber 38 revolver.
Sangalang said investigators are still facing blank wall as to the motive of Perez’s gunslay.