Malabon cop killed in Valenzuela robbery

MANILA, Philippines - A Malabon City police traffic officer was shot and killed by two unidentified armed men who robbed his wife’s dental clinic Monday in Valenzuela City.

SPO4 Rodolfo Ladaban, 49, senior investigator of the Malabon City police station traffic unit, died before dawn Tuesday at the Our Lady of Fatima Hospital due to a gunshot wound in the right eye.

PO3 Percy Villanueva, Valenzuela City police investigator, said Ladaban was in his wife’s Tamesis-Ladaban Dental Clinic at 103 MacArthur Highway in Barangay Marulas when two men, posing as patients, arrived at around 3:30 p.m.

Dr. Jennie Ladaban, the cop’s wife, examined one of the suspects and advised him about his dental problem. The man said he would just withdraw some cash and left. The other one remained inside.

When the suspect returned some 10 minutes later, he went directly to the police oficer who was watching television at the clinic’s receiving area and without a word sprayed him with tear gas in the face.

The semi-blinded cop, who was in civilian clothes and without a firearm, tried to put up a fight but the suspect, armed with .38 caliber revolver, shot him at close range in the right eye, Villanueva said.

The robbers hastily divested the cops’ wife of her necklace and wedding ring and fled by riding on a passing passenger bus.

The wounded policeman was brought at the nearby Fatima Hospital for treatment but died at around 1 a.m. Tuesday due to his wound.