Thirteen people killed in Philippines police shootout
POLICE in the Philippines have slain 13 members of a criminal gang in a shootout
The battle erupted after gunmen in two vehicles tried to break through a police checkpoint near the city Atimonan, according to the national police headquarters' operations center. A police statement said a senior police officer was injured and taken to hospital, and 10 firearms were recovered from the gang members, including an M16 assault rifle.
Provincial police chief Senior Inspector Val de Leon said the blockade was made following a tip-off from a police informant that the mob was to pass through the area on the way to Manila "to a big hit to make."
"The information we received came from a very reliable informant, and this is a great achievement," Supt De Leon said.
He said the army had also told of the operation, and that some soldiers helped man the checkpoint.
"We made sure that all escape routes are sealed," Supt De Leon said.
He said that once troops and police flagged down the first vehicle, the archers on board began shooting at them.
The first salvo wounded Superintendent Hans Manahan, the police officer in charge of the operation in the city 173 kilometers southeast of Manila.
The incident took place two days after a drug-crazed former village official went on a shooting rampage, killing seven people and wounding 12 others, some of whom have life-threatening injuries.
Rolando Bae himself was slain in a subsequent shootout with police.
Also last week, two children aged seven and four were slain by stray bullets fired during celebratory gunfire in order to welcome the new year. The incident caused public condemnation and calls for stricter controls on gun ownership, with official statistics estimate there are nearly 600,000 unlicensed guns over the Philippines.
About 1.2 million licensed firearms were on the register from 2012.
Various social groups and the influential Catholic Church have called for a total ban on weapons on the street. President Benigno Aquino - himself a gun enthusiast - even respond to the question.
Other groups called for the return of the death penalty, which the government banned in 2006.
POLICE in the Philippines have slain 13 members of a criminal gang in a shootout
The battle erupted after gunmen in two vehicles tried to break through a police checkpoint near the city Atimonan, according to the national police headquarters' operations center. A police statement said a senior police officer was injured and taken to hospital, and 10 firearms were recovered from the gang members, including an M16 assault rifle.
Provincial police chief Senior Inspector Val de Leon said the blockade was made following a tip-off from a police informant that the mob was to pass through the area on the way to Manila "to a big hit to make."
"The information we received came from a very reliable informant, and this is a great achievement," Supt De Leon said.
He said the army had also told of the operation, and that some soldiers helped man the checkpoint.
"We made sure that all escape routes are sealed," Supt De Leon said.
He said that once troops and police flagged down the first vehicle, the archers on board began shooting at them.
The first salvo wounded Superintendent Hans Manahan, the police officer in charge of the operation in the city 173 kilometers southeast of Manila.
The incident took place two days after a drug-crazed former village official went on a shooting rampage, killing seven people and wounding 12 others, some of whom have life-threatening injuries.
Rolando Bae himself was slain in a subsequent shootout with police.
Also last week, two children aged seven and four were slain by stray bullets fired during celebratory gunfire in order to welcome the new year. The incident caused public condemnation and calls for stricter controls on gun ownership, with official statistics estimate there are nearly 600,000 unlicensed guns over the Philippines.
About 1.2 million licensed firearms were on the register from 2012.
Various social groups and the influential Catholic Church have called for a total ban on weapons on the street. President Benigno Aquino - himself a gun enthusiast - even respond to the question.
Other groups called for the return of the death penalty, which the government banned in 2006.
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