Gunman in cameraman’s slay shot in jail

The alleged triggerman in the recent rob-slay of a television cameraman in Caloocan City was shot by a prison guard inside the city’s detention facility before noon yesterday.

Ernani Magnayon, 29, sustained a lone gunshot wound in the right face that exited through his nape.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Magnayon was still fighting for his life at the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital.

"We are giving him a 50-50 chance of survival," Inspector Ramon Marino, of the Northern Police District Intelligence and Investigation Division, said.

The suspect, Jail Officer 2 Ricardo Zulueta, 25, was immediately arrested by Caloocan City cops and is now undergoing tactical interrogation.

Magnayon is one of the four accused in the July 28 robbery and killing of RPN-9 cameraman Ralph Runez in front of his house in Tala, Caloocan City.

Two other suspects — Inspector Bryan Limbo and PO3 Aristotle de Guzman — were arrested and detained at the Caloocan City jail, while the third suspect, Charles Galarce, turned state witness.

On Monday, the Runez’s robbery with homicide case is set to be heard for the sixth time at the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 128. An eyewitness, Salvador Policarpio, is again scheduled to identify the triggerman in the case.

Superintendent Emilio Culang, Caloocan City Jail warden, said that Zulueta was talking to Magnayon inside the administration office of the city jail when the guard’s service firearm, a 9 mm pistol he was holding, was accidentally fired, hitting the inmate in the face.

Culang could not give a clear account of how the gun was fired and why Zulueta was talking to the prisoner inside the administration room.

"Investigation is still being conducted by the Caloocan and the NPD (Northern Police District) cops," Culang said when pressed for more explanation.

NPD director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil has ordered a thorough investigation of the case.