Surrender or else, Velasco tells wanted cop

Surrender now or face the consequences.

This was the ultimatum given by Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco to a police officer, who, along with his nephew, figured in a shooting incident in Pasay City Monday, resulting in the death of three people.

Velasco said Police Officer 3 Jose "Joey" Salazar should turn himself in and "face the music" to clear his name.

"His continued absence would not help him any," said Velasco, adding that Salazar and his nephew, Borbie Rivera would have to contend with the full force of the law if they failed to give up.

The Metro police chief said he directed Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez, director of the Southern Police District (SPD) to dig deeper into the bloody birthday bash that left celebrant Anthony Petilla, Catalino Bautista Jr. and Joselito Manlangit dead.

In a phone interview, Salazar expressed his willingness to surrender to Velasco.

He clarified, however, that he was not in hiding but hunting down his nephew to make him answer for his crime so he could clear his name.

"I did not fire my gun during the incident. Umawat lang ako. Bread and butter ko ang pagkapulis ko kaya’t kailangan kung iharap ang pamangkin ko para managot sa ginawa niya at maabsuwelto naman ako," said Salazar, whose last assignment was at the Regional Service Support Group of the National Capital Regional Police Office.

Salazar explained he was in his house at Protacio street, when neighbors called his attention to trouble involving Rivera and Petilla’s group.

Grabbing his issued caliber .9mm pistol and his wallet, Salazar rushed out of his house and saw his nephew, armed with a Czech 75 .9mm pistol walking towards Tramo street, where Petilla and his friends were having a drinking spree.

According to Salazar, he was some 10 meters away from his nephew when PO2 Bernard Cubero, 31, and his companions opened fire at Rivera, who escaped unhurt. Rivera then fired at Petilla’s group.

"In-ambush nila ang pamangkin ko. Ang ginawa ko, dinisarmahan ko si Borbie, pinadapa sabay agaw ng baril sa kanya. Dahil nga wala na siyang armas, nagpumiglas siya at patakbong sumakay sa dumaang tricycle at tumakas," Salazar said.

Witnesses said Salazar did not fire his gun. However, they wondered why he did not stop his nephew from firing his weapon.

Salazar said he went straight home after the incident. He decided to hunt down his nephew after learning that Velasco created "Task Force Tugis" to hunt both of them down.