7 soldiers shoot Quezon City cop, 2 watchmen

MANILA, Philippines - Seven members of the military’s National Capital Region Command (NCRCOM) were arrested after they allegedly shot dead a police officer and a barangay security officer in Quezon City at past midnight yesterday.

Homicide probers said Police Officer 3 Wildredo Macatangay, 38; and barangay watchman Alex Bersamin, 43, died of gunshot wounds while another barangay watchman, Reynaldo Ybanez, 49, is still undergoing treatment at the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC).

The suspects – led by Pfc. Roberto Chiong of the NCRCOM’s 1st Community Development Organizing Company (CDOC) based in Tondo, Manila’s Baseco Compound – surrendered themselves to members of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and mobile patrol units.

Among those arrested were Staff Sgt. Elgar Aclan, 37, their unit commander; Cpl. Eugene Villaver, 32; and PFCs Rafael Lantano, 31, Delfin Viajedor, 32, Rannie Bartolay, 29, and Ariel Molina, 29.

QCPD homicide division chief, Chief Inspector Benjamin Elenzano, said the incident happened at around 1:10 a.m. at a covered court near Barangay Pasong Tamo.

Initial investigation showed that Chiong and Bersamin figured in an argument about the operation of small carnival (feria) in the area. Chiong, at the height of the argument, pulled out a .45 caliber handgun and shot Bersamin in the left leg, Elenzano said.

Elenzano said Chiong, claiming he was being chased, then ran to the NCRCOM’s 3rd CDOC command post and asked for help from his fellow soldiers.

Chiong and those manning the outpost allegedly fired at Bersamin, who was with other barangay watchmen and Macatangay to arrest Chiong. Elenzano noted that Macatangay and Ybanez were in uniform and on duty that night, and were responding to the first shooting.

Elenzano said SWAT and mobile patrol teams later arrived and arrested Chiong and the rest of the 3rd CDOC soldiers, who claimed during initial questioning that they thought they were being attacked.

Long firearms, including four M-16 armalite rifles, two handguns, ammunition magazines, bullets, and 24 M-16 shells were recovered from the suspects and the crime scene.

Elanzano said all seven NCRCOM members will be subjected to a paraffin test to determine who among them actually fired a gun, and their weapons will also be subjected to ballistic examination.

“(Macatangay) was merely responding to crime scene. He just answered the call of duty,” he said in an interview noting that the slain police officer was on duty and was in uniform.

Elenzano said homicide probers are in the process of compiling the testimonies of witnesses, whose names are being withheld, along with that of Ybanez.

QCPD director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego has ordered his men to file charges against those responsible for the killing, considering that evidence points to the NCRCOM soldiers.

“If all will test positive in the paraffin test, all will be held liable. That is very clear,” Elenzano told The STAR.

Depending on the results and the evaluation of the case based on the testimonies of witnesses, he said the charges may be upgraded to murder.