Retired cop's son admits to Malabon burglary

MANILA, Philippines - A 17-year-old son of a retired police official admitted yesterday to stealing a gun from a jail officer’s house in Barangay Longos, Malabon City.

Chief Inspector Realito Esperida, chief investigator of the city police, said the boy was accompanied by his mother and barangay watchmen in turning over a .38 revolver stolen last Aug. 31 from Jail Officer 1 Rommel Singsing.

“We will be filing a case of theft and it’s up to the prosecutor to decide on the case,” he said.

Esperida said the suspect was initially arrested by barangay watchmen for stealing a gallon of ice cream from a grocery shortly before midnight Sunday.

Singsing, who lives near the grocery, said he recognized the boy as the same one he saw fleeing from his room with his cell phone, P3,000 and service firearm.

The boy admitted taking the gun and led barangay tanods to a woman with whom he left the firearm.

The mother of the boy, a former live-in partner of a retired police colonel, told The STAR that the boy was a high school dropout and has been involved in series of burglaries in Malabon City.

She said she has already asked the father to take custody of the boy, who she said spends his time in computer shops and meets with his gangmates at night to stage burglaries.