Jail officer killed in Valenzuela ambush

MANILA, Philippines - A Navotas City jail officer and his woman companion were killed when two motorcycle riding gunmen waylaid their vehicle in broad daylight yesterday in Valenzuela City.

Senior Superintendent Ranier Idio, Valenzuela City police chief, identified the slain officer as JO2 Bernabe Susano, 42, a resident of Caloocan City. He died while undergoing treatment at the Valenzuela City General Hospital. Susano’s companion, Evangeline Mercadal, 35, a resident of Deparo, also died in the same hospital due to multiple bullet wounds in the head and body.

Chief Inspector Danilo Bugay, Valenzuela City police intelligence and investigation unit chief, said that Susano was driving his green Nissan Urvan (ZHN-645), with Mercadal and Mece Guilen as passengers, when the gunmen, riding in a motorcycle without license plate, fired at the victims’ vehicle while cruising along Canumay East Road in Barangay Canumay, Valenzuela City at around 10:45 a.m.

“Susano was about to report for work with the two other victims as his passengers when fired upon by the suspects,” Bugay told The STAR.

The suspects fled after the shooting and remain at large.

The three victims were brought to the Valenzuela City General Hospital for treatment but Susano and Mercadal later died because of their gunshot wounds. Guilen is still confined in the same hospital.

Police recovered shells for 9mm pistol at the crime scene. They were still gathering more information yesterday to establish the motive in the victims’ slay.

JO1 Adan Delosa, Susano’s fellow officer at the Navotas City Jail, said that the slain officer, whom he worked with for more than a year, is “quiet and kind.” – Pete Laude, Perseus Echeminada