Philippine police shoot dead eight suspected robbers

MANILA - Police shot dead eight suspected robbers in an gunbattle at a checkpoint near the Philippine capital on Tuesday, a statement said.

It said officers in the town of Silang, 44 kilometres south of Manila, received a tip that nine men riding four motorcycles were on their way to rob a store.

Police set up a checkpoint but the motorcycle riders drove through it, sparking a shootout.

Eight of the suspects were killed and eight handguns recovered afterwards with one suspect escaping, added the statement from the local force.

National police spokesmen in Manila could not be contacted for comment on the incident.

In the past Philippine police have been accused of illegally "rubbing-out" suspects and then reporting they were killed while resisting arrest.

In July two policemen were charged with killing two gangsters in their custody while 14 others were charged with trying to cover up their crime.