Supt. Benjamin Silo, Jr., a lawyer and Balanga City chief of police, said Melbert Teves, 26, of Bagac, Bataan died on the spot during an encounter at 4:45 in the afternoon with police operatives led by Insp. Ronnie Fabia.
The body of victim was brought to the Martinez funeral parlor in Balanga City where members of the scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) conducted paraffin tests.
The police team was undergoing surveillance and follow-up operations connected to the killing last Monday of jailed Indian national Bootah Singh when the operatives saw Teves driving a stolen motorcycle. “Lalapitan ng mga pulis natin ang suspect pero nagpaputok ito agad ng dalawang beses at masuwerte na hindi tumama dahil nakasakay ang suspect sa motorsiklo,” Silo said.
He said the police officers fired back and hit the victim. Recovered from the scene of the shootout were one caliber .357 homemade revolver and 15 live ammunitions and one spent shell for caliber .357, all belonging to the victim.
The city police chief said Teves was identified by witnesses as one of the three members of a gang who held-up and killed barangay Kagawad Alberto Salazar of Cupang Central, Balanga City in the first week of February.
Two other members of the group are the subject of follow-up operations.
Silo said it was confirmed that the motorcycle the victim was using was a stolen one. “Patuloy ang imbestigasyon at baka may kaugnayan pa ang biktima sa ibang mga kaso bukod sa pagpatay sa barangay kagawad at sa Indian national at carnapping,” he said.
