URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan — Three alleged members of a notorious criminal gang involved in armed robbery, drug trafficking and even gun-for-hire activities in Pangasinan were killed in a police encounter here Wednesday.
In an interview on Thursday, Supt. Rollyfer Capoquian , chief of Urdaneta City Police Station (UCPS), identified the slain suspects as Michael Hucson, 31; Lito Olais, 53; and Jonald ‘Aping’ Olais; all residents of San Quintin, Pangasinan.
“The family just claimed the bodies of the suspects without saying a word,” Capoquian said.
The suspects earlier flagged down Jesus Martinez in Barangay Nancamaliran East this city and forcibly took his tricycle , he said.
“Fortunately for Martinez, a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) mobile team happened to be patrolling the area minutes after the crime, to which he immediately asked for help,” Capoquian said.
The SWAT team, accompanied by the victim, immediately conducted a pursuit operation against the suspects.
“Upon reaching the bypass road, the police encountered the suspects. The suspects, however, fired shots at the policemen — who retaliated, which resulted in the instantaneous death of the suspects,” Capoquian said.
Recovered from the crime scene were one .45-caliber handgun with two empty shells and two caliber 9-mm pistols and the stolen tricycle of Martinez.
Meanwhile, Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, Ilocos Region (Region 1) police director, ordered the police to do ballistic examinations and cross-matching to determine the other crimes the group might had been involved in. (Ahikam Pasion/PNA)
