Ex-cop axed for animal cruelty gunned down

MANILA, Philippines - Four unidentified men shot dead a former police officer in his house and wounded his wife in Caloocan City Sunday night.

Chief Inspector Rodrigo Soriano, Caloocan City police investigation chief, said Gerardo Garcia was a Caloocan City policeman who was dismissed from the service last year after he was found guilty of animal cruelty for killing a neighbor’s dog.

Garcia, 36, who held the rank of Police Officer 1, died on the spot from at least five gunshot wounds in the body. His wife, Alma, 35, was brought to the Tala Hospital for treatment of two bullet wounds in both thighs, Soriano said.

The victims were reportedly watching television in their living room at about 9:30 p.m. when four men on two motorcycles arrived. The gunmen went directly to Garcia’s open window and one of them uttered unsavory words as they shot at Garcia and his wife.

“The actuation of the gunmen while they shot at Garcia shows that they personally knew the victim,” Soriano said.

Soriano said his men were still trying to determine yesterday who among Garcia’s acquaintances could have a motive to kill him.

Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Jude Santos directed Substation 3 commander Superintendent Carlito Dimalanta yesterday to conduct a deeper probe of Garcia’s murder.