Man who robbed cops' rifles slain in police operation
Mindanao Armed Conflict • 13:00 PM Fri Nov 19, 2021
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
Workers of a funeral parlor carry the remains of Salvador Viloria Jr, a robbery suspect, who traded shots with law men during law enforcement operation Thursday afternoon in Midsayap, North Cotabato.
MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato – A heavily armed robbery suspect was killed during law enforcement operation when he resisted arrest and traded shots with authorities Thursday, police said.
Lt. Colonel Rolly Oranza, Midsayap town police chief, identified the victim as Salvador Viloria Jr, a 24-year-old primary suspect in a robbery where the victims were two police officers.
“He was the primary suspect who took two service rifles of two police officers,” Lt. Colonel Oranza said of Viloria who was a friend of two police officers.
Oranza did not name the police officers but said they are personally known to Viloria.
At about 11 a.m., police backed by soldiers from the 34th Infantry Battalion were to serve arrest warrant against Viloria in Purok 6, Barangay Bual Sur, Midsayap, North Cotabato.
Viloria hid in a semi-concrete house in the middle of a rice field in Barangay Bual Sur.
Oranza said residents became suspicious of Viloria who went home carrying two rifles and bandolier for bullets when he was not a soldier or a police officer.
“He was jobless, he just showed up here and hid in that house,” a village resident said, asking he remained unidentified.
Lt. Colonel Oranza said residents have alerted the police through the social media about the presence of a heavily armed gunman in the village.
“We posted his image on FB and got immediate tips on his whereabouts,” he added.
The two soldiers and a police officer were injured when the Viloria fired at approaching law enforcers.