Police officer in Quezon encounter defends name

MANILA, Philippines - With his right leg in a cast and under heavy guard in a hospital, the lone police officer wounded in the armed encounter in Quezon province last Sunday insisted that it was a shootout.

“Demoralized ako though I know it’s part of the job, it is part of our duty,” Superintendent Hansel Marantan told GMA 7 News.

He had stopped watching news on TV, he said, because of criticisms of the operation. He also denied he and his family had jueteng links.

“I want to make a categorical statement that my family and I are not and have never been involved in illegal gambling,” he said as he broke into tears, covering his face with a blanket.

Marantan said he could not have manipulated Special Forces men and soldiers into staging a shootout. He said that before the alleged shooting, he received information that 15 to 20 armed men on two vehicles were about to pass by the area.

Marantan said he recognized Vic Siman from pictures of those under surveillance.

He added that the first of the two vehicles briefly rolled down a window but rolled it up again.

“At that time I sensed danger already, hindi lang ako, pati kasamahan ko, nag kawalaan na kami (not just me, my companions too. We took positions). I moved back maybe three or four steps and then yung putok dumating na (the shots came). Di ko akalain may mga pulis dun sa sasakyan (I never thought there were policemen in the vehicles),” he said.

Marantan recalled that his companions dragged him to safety before he passed out. The next thing he knew there was an exchange of gunfire.