Five members of the notorious Francisco robbery hold-up gang were killed after the armed group resisted arrest that triggered the firefight in Nasugbu, Batangas early morning Wednesday.
Chief Inspector Ronald Cayago, Officer-in-Charge of the Nasugbu Municipal Police Station identified the five slain robbers as Rudy Franciso, alias Kambal; Roland Francisco; Rico Francisco alias Nono, Arian Hernandez, and a certain Scoth Pacia.
The killing of the five gang members also resulted to the arrest of an alias ‘Eva’ and ‘Eric’ following the shootout that occurred in Palakulan, Wawa in Nasugbu at about 5:50 am on Tuesday.
No details were provided as to the circumstances of the death of the suspects except that Nasugbu police operatives were reportedly about to serve a search warrant at the houses of the three gang members which resulted to the ensuing encounter.
The report said that all the suspects were members of the Francisco robbery hold-up crime group operating in Batangas and are also reportedly involved in illegal drugs.
Recovered from the scene of encounter were a caliber .45 pistol; two .38 revolvers; a magnum .22 revolver and a hand grenade.
Police officials in Nasugbu numerated the involvement and atrocities of the Francisco rob gang, saying that the group pulled a P3 million heist in Batangas last year; robbed a Petron depot in Nasugbu; and break into the house of Al Perez in Ramos Subdivision, Barangay 3 of the same town; Eric, one of the gang members, was also reportedly involved in a robbery in Calaca, Batangas in 2015, where he stole P40,000 worth of valuables.
The syndicate also were responsible in other robbery incidents in Nasugbu, where they broke into the houses of a Mr. Sarmiento in Brgy 5 and a certain Lourdes Gumba in Brgy Bucana.
Authorities also said that the Francisco’s group was involved in a series of motorcycle theft and other robbery hold-up incidents.
The syndicate was also included in the drug watchlist of the Nasugbu Municipal Police Station.