Cops hunting suspect in MMDA sidewalk operation shooting

Western Police District (WPD) Homicide Section chief Senior Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr. yesterday dispatched a team of police operatives in the northern part of Metro Manila to hunt down the alleged gunman in the fatal clearing drive of Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel in Paco, Manila Friday morning.

The clearing operation against obstructions and eyesores along President Quirino Avenue in Paco claimed the life of one pedicab driver and serious injury to another.

Arevalo said his team had identified the alleged gunman, but refused to reveal his name so as not to jeopardize the ongoing pursuit operation.

Without explicitly stating that the suspect is an MMDA personnel, Arevalo hinted that the gunman was among the MMDA staff conducting the sidewalk clearing operation at the time of the shooting incident.

Arevalo was tipped off of the name and address of the suspect, which he said will still be verified with the MMDA office.

"Possibly by Monday we will be positive whether the suspect is an MMDA personnel," Arevalo said, adding their verification is being hampered by the closure of government offices on weekends.

The indiscriminate shooting resulted in the death of Danilo Peralta, 39. He expired Friday night while undergoing treatment for a bullet wound in the head at the Philippine General Hospital. Another victim, Marcio Quinones, 32, was hit in the chest.

Police said MMDA personnel were clearing the stretch of President Quirino Avenue against illegal structures and traffic obstructions when the operation met stiff opposition from pedicab drivers and stall owners.

Police said some bystanders threw stones at the MMDA personnel, until a polo-barong clad man fired at the group hitting the two victims.

Police recovered two deformed empty shells from a caliber .45 pistol.

Meanwhile, the MMDA has temporarily withdrawn its sidewalk clearing operations in Manila as officials welcomed yesterday the investigation on the alleged involvement of their operatives in a shooting incident.

However, MMDA Sidewalk Clearing Operations (SCO) chief Bobby Esquivel has maintained that the man who fired the shots was not a member of their clearing team, stressing their operatives are not allowed to carry firearms.

"Because of the incident, we will give investigation its due course and leave the area for the mean time. Our job there is almost done anyway," Esquivel told The STAR in a phone interview.

However, he pointed out that traffic enforcers would remain in the area to help police in controlling vehicular flow.

Police also said rocks were thrown at MMDA operatives, who were accosting pedicab drivers for blocking the sidewalk and road. Operatives sustained head injuries and a vehicle was also damaged.

Esquivel lamented how their operatives are being treated unfairly in some cities, where local executives are biased against their operations.

"We understand that in implementing laws you surely will be up against some people. But we just don’t know why others would still put us in bad light when we are in reality helping them do their tasks to the public," he explained.