AUTHORITIES arrested six persons, including two Chinese, who engaged jail guards in a firefight while trying to rescue a Chinese detainee in Paranaque City last Monday.
The suspects were Chinese Yang Yang Shin, 25, and Wang Hongjie, 25; and Filipinos James Bales Lasam, 28; Jerome Pascua Salvador, 31; Jerry Calino Ecalde, 30; and John Paul Chua, 51.
The Southern Police District said they were arrested by Paranaque police operatives led by Capt. Dennis Velasco in a hot pursuit operation.
The SPD said the six fired and engaged personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology who were securing Chinese detainee Hu Yang, 37, back to the BJMP detention facility in Barangay La Huerta after attending a court hearing at Branch 235 of the Makati City Regional Trial Court.
Hu faces charges of kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Recovered from the suspects were one replica hand grenade, a bundle of suspected dollar bills, one 357 Magnum revolver with three live bullets and one fired cartridge case, suspected illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.
The SPD said the six, on board a black sedan and a Mitsubishi Xpander, blocked the BJMP service vehicle carrying the Chinese detainee past noon last Monday at the Parañaque Wetland Park, Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City.
The suspects opened fire at the BJMP vehicle, hitting Jail Officer 2 Leif Joseph Talanquines on his right shoulder.
The other jail officers – John Aldrin Quinanola Manalang, Cedric Arao Carag and Angelo Dato Badong – returned fire, hitting one of the suspects’ vehicles.
BJMP spokesman Supt. Jayrex Bustinera said: “The armed men… intercepted the BJMP transport vehicle and opened fire.”
“Based on our assessment, this is an attempted rescue,” Bustinera added.
The PNP, in a statement, described the incident as an “attempted rescue of a Chinese national…who had just attended a court hearing.
“Forensic experts have processed the scene, and efforts to locate additional suspects and the firearms used in the ambush are ongoing,” the PNP said.
“The PNP assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to bring those responsible to justice and to ensure the safety of the community,” it added.
Talanquines was brought to the Ospital ng Paranaque for treatment while the other jail officers were unharmed.
The SPD said the suspects fled the scene after failing to rescue the Chinese detainee.
In their bid to escape, the suspects’ Xpander with plate number NKM 2122 crashed into a tree at Wetland Park, forcing them to flee on foot toward the mangrove area of the park where they were arrested by pursuing Paranaque cops.
The black sedan carrying several other suspects fled.
“Follow-up operations and backtracking are ongoing to apprehend any fleeing cohorts and recover other firearms used during the ambush,” SPD Director Brig. Gen. Joseph Arguelles said.
“Further investigation is underway to determine the possible involvement of a larger criminal group,” he added. – With Victor Reyes
