MANILA, Philippines - Two police officers – a married couple – were wounded in a shootout with six motorcycle-riding men in Sta. Cruz, Manila yesterday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent James Afalla, Manila Police District (MPD) Station 3 chief, said in a telephone interview the incident occurred at around 3 p.m. along Pampanga street near its intersection with Aurora Boulevard.
Afalla identified the injured police officers as Senior Police Officer 1 Geron Halla and his wife, SPO1 July Halla. Geron is assigned at the Northern Police District’s District Public Safety Battalion while July works at the NPD’s Police Community Relations office.
The two were brought to the Chinese General Hospital for treatment.
According to initial reports, the six men, who were on three motorcycles, were about to rob the occupants of a van when the Hallas responded and engaged the robbers in a shootout. The robbers fled after the firefight.
No information was given by MPD investigators as to why the Hallas were in the area during the robbery. The MPD has launched a manhunt for the six robbers. - By Sandy Araneta
