Mother, son hurt in shootout between cops

A two-year-old boy was critically wounded while his mother sustained superficial wounds in the arm in a shootout Thursday night between a drunken rookie policeman assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and Caloocan City cops in Baesa.

Marvin Caharop of Libis Reparo street, Baesa, Caloocan City is now confined at the Manila Central University Hospital due to a gunshot wound in the chest, police said. The boy’s mother, Michelle, was hit in the forearm.

Suspect PO1 Godofredo Dawado Aglugub, 24, detailed at the NCRPO-Regional Support and Services Group (DSSG) in Bicutan, was immediately arrested. Charges were being readied against him yesterday.

Investigation showed that at around 10 p.m., residents of Baesa, particularly along Libis Reparo street, sought assistance from their barangay tanods after a group of drunken men created trouble in the neighborhood.

But when the barangay watchmen tried to appease the alleged troublemakers identified as Jason Casaldo, 24, Dante Ammowen, 30, Aljames Dangiwan, 24, and Arvin Baluyan, 21, the suspects turned their ire on the tanods.

After a rumble ensue, one of the tanods sought assistance from the nearby Sta. Quiteria police station. SPO1 Rodolfo Reyes and PO1 Jaime Pabalan, accompanied by barangay chairman Jim Gajudo proceeded to the scene.

However, the group of drunks were also able to seek the assistance of their friend, Aglugub.

When the responding Caloocan cops arrived at the scene, the drinking buddies, along with Aglugub, allegedly fired at them.

In the ensuing shootout, Caharop and her son, who were just passing by, were hit by stray bullets.

The firefight ended upon the arrival of another group of Caloocan policemen.

Aglugub was arrested while his cohorts escaped.

Caloocan policemen disarmed Aglugub of his service firearm, a .9mm pistol with two magazines and 27 bullets. Caloocan cops also recovered from the crime scene two deformed slugs and three spent shells from a .9mm pistol.–Pete Laude