MANILA - Police killed three armed hold-up men in an encounter in La Loma district in Quezon City, Friday night, police said.

Superintendent Carlito Feliciano, La Loma police station commander, said the three still unidentified hold-uppers were spotted by policemen manning a checkpoint on Malaya Street, Barangay Amoranto while in the act of collecting valuables from jeepney passengers around 11:30 p.m.

Feliciano said the suspects tried to flee when they spotted the approaching policemen. A hot pursuit ensued that ended with a shootout between the policemen and the hold-up men.

Jeepney passengers who witnessed the shooting, confirmed to policemen that the three slain men were their hold-uppers, the police commander said.

He said he ordered his men to put up a checkpoint in the area due to several complaints from jeepney passengers and residents.