A policeman and the leader of a suspected hold-up gang were killed while seven others were arrested in a shootout in Sitio Baktus, Barangay Talabaan in the city’s east last Sunday night.

Killed were SPO1 Rolando Alcuizar of the Culianan Police Station and Omar Sanson, an alleged holdup gang leader.

City Police Director Sr. Supt. Edwin De Ocampo identified those arrested as Angelo Villanueva y Rojas, 18, of Talabaan, Jaber Muntong y Barahim, 22, of Taluksangay, Harkim Umbok y Abdurajak, 23, of Taluksangay, Al-Al Ahari y Musa, 30, of Talabaan, Shamier USman y Saavedra, 24, of Talabaan, Alhazar Pakam y Aslawi, 29 of Talabaan and Albert Villanueva y Benzon, 42, of Talabaan.

De Ocampo disclosed that Culianan Police Station commander Chief Insp. Rocky Laungayan had received a report from a concerned resident of Talabaan through cellular phone that there were seven suspicious-looking men having drinking spree at the store of Eliza Perez

Acting on the report, policemen swooped down on the place, but while they were approaching the store, the suspects scampered in different directions and one of them opened fire on the lawmen. The police returned fire triggering a brief gunfight.

De Ocampo said that policemen of the Zamboanga City Public Safety Company and Criminal and Investigation Section dispatched men to reinforce the Culianan police.

During the exchange of gunfire, Sanson was hit in the body and died on the spot.

Alcuizar was also hit by bullets fired by one of the suspects. He was taken to the Zamboanga Doctors Hospital where he expired at dawn yesterday.

After the shootout, police nabbed the seven suspects and were detained at the City Police Office.

De Ocampo said his men recovered a .357 revolver with eight rounds of ammunition from the possession of Pakam.

A total of 23 sachets of shabu and 16 aluminum foil strips were also found in the possession of Villanueva.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered one .45 caliber pistol with a magazine at the encounter site.

De Ocampo said the police were still checking on a report that the group of Sanson was behind the series of holdups and robberies in the city.