MANILA, Philippines – A Caloocan City police officer was reportedly shot by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) police officers who were pursuing a group of suspected hijackers in Malabon City Thursday night.
Police Officer 2 Danilo Malana, 36, assigned at the Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 7, remains in critical condition at the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame due to a bullet wound in the chest.
Sources said police officers from the NCRPO-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) raided a suspected lair of a hijack gang in Barangay Longos, Malabon City when Malana was shot at around 10:30 p.m.
The NCRPO police officers were arresting at least four suspected members of the gang when Malana, reportedly a tenant on the second floor of the raided house, looked out of his window holding a handgun. One of the members of the raiding team shot at him, hitting him in the chest.
The four suspects have been put under the custody of the NCRPO-HPG while Malana is also being closely watched by the NCRPO.
The STAR tried yesterday to get an updated report on Malana’s case at the Malabon City police station but Senior Superintendent Cornelio Barrios, city police chief, was out of his office.
Case officer PO3 Jerry de la Torre and his immediate superior, Chief Inspector Realito Esperida, were also not around.
Sources said the NCRPO police officers are reportedly linking Malana to the suspected hijackers.