Cop spends New Year on the run

A policeman who figured in a shooting incident in Pasay City last Monday that left three people dead and two others wounded, spent the New Year "on the run."

PO3 Jose "Joey" Salazar, claimed he was hopping from one place to another not only to elude fellow cops chasing him, but also to hunt down his nephew, Borbie Rivera, tagged as the primary suspect in the killing of Catalino Bautista, Anthony Petilla, 25, and Joselito Manlangit.

Petilla’s mother, Antonieta, 54, and PO2 Bernard Cubero, of the Western Traffic Enforcement Group (WTEG) sustained bullet wounds during the shooting spree.

But Salazar, who belongs to the Regional Service Support Group (RSSG) of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) told The STAR that this was not the first time that he spent New Year away from his family.

"Kasama ito sa trabaho. Trabaho lang ang ginampanan ko," Salazar said in a phone interview.

The Pasay City police is expected to file today multiple homicide and frustrated homicide charges against Rivera at the city prosecutor’s office. Salazar will be charged for harboring Rivera.

To avoid being jailed, Salazar said he will surrender to Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco immediately after the filing of charges against him. Salazar said he has been consulting with his lawyer.

But before giving himself up, Salazar said he will try to arrest his nephew. He will also turn over the automatic pistol which he grabbed from Rivera following the shooting incident along Tramo street.

Earlier, Velasco issued an ultimatum to Salazar "to surrender or else." He has a lot of explaining to do, including why he failed to react immediately to prevent the incident from going out of hand," Velasco said in an interview. – Non Alquitran