Gunmen in two vehicles attempted to smash through a police checkpoint, near Atimonan, in the Philippines. A police informant gave a tip to the authorities that a gang of gunmen, linked to an organized crime syndicate, was travelling to Manila to commit a murder, e.g. "make a major hit." The tip prompted the police set-up the roadblock, checkpoint.
Jan. 6, News.com reports, Provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Val de Leon said, "The information we received came from a very reliable informer, and this is a big accomplishment," The Army had also been told of the operation, and that some military personnel helped man the checkpoint. "We made sure that all escape routes are sealed," Supt de Leon said.
When police flagged down the first vehicle, the gunmen immediately opened fire on the police. A police statement given, stated "one senior police officer was wounded and taken to hospital, and 10 firearms were recovered from the gang members, including an M16 assault rifle."
The incident triggered public out-cry for stricter gun control. Local statistics estimate that there are nearly 600,000 unlicensed guns across the Philippines.
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