Police, 3 robbery suspects exchange gunshots along NLEX, says PRO-3

MANILA, Philippines — The police and three suspects exchanged gunshots along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on Friday.

The suspects were apparently being tracked down for a series of robberies, according to the Philippine National Police Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3).

PRO-3 Regional Director Gen. Jess Mendez said that police officers were backtracking cases of robberies in a minimart last Monday and Wednesday in Magalang, Pampanga and Victoria, Tarlac.

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Mendez said that the suspects were monitored in Rosales, Pangasinan and they later went to Tarlac and Bulacan.

With this, he said that police officers were deployed along toll plazas and exits.

“When they were approaching the barrier in Bocaue toll plaza, they fired shots at our SWAT. So there was a firefight,” Mendez told reporters in an interview.

“Three individuals were arrested because they tried to run away,” he noted.

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Mendez added that the suspects sustained wounds and were attended to by the medical team of NLEX.

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When asked why the authorities fired shots towards the suspects, the police official answered: “They fired shots at our personnel. Our police officers were shot. They were only aiming to approach and block them.”

He also said that they have not received any reports of any civilians or motorists that might have been hit by bullets.

He added that they are currently collecting pieces of evidence for the cases to be filed against the suspects. /apl

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