BY AARON RECUENCO
The Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) killed two suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) group in a shootout yesterday in Antipolo City.
Police Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, director of the PNP-AKG, identified the suspects through their aliases “Kelly” and “Roy.” They were reportedly members of a criminal group engaged in gunrunning, robbery, and kidnap-for-ransom.
The AKG said the operation was part of the intensified campaign against criminality that includes intelligence-driven conduct of checkpoints.
Police Col. Villaflor Bannawagan, head of the AKG-Luzon Field Unit, said his men intercepted the victims after riding a motorcycle with no license plate on Maros Highway in Sitio Painuman in Barangay Inarawan at around 6 a.m.
“But they tried to evade the checkpoint and shot at the operatives when being flagged down, prompting the latter to retaliate in self-defense,” said Bannawagan.
“This joint checkpoint operation was conducted after the AKG earlier received an intelligence report from the same informant that the suspects were about to commit robbery-holdup in the area,” he added.
The suspects were reportedly members of a group led by Ryan dela Cruz, a wanted criminal group leader who was also tagged in the illegal drugs trade.
Two of Dela Cruz’s men were killed in a police operation in Pililia, Rizal.
