MANILA, Philippines - One of the suspects in the killing of a policeman last Saturday in Ermita, Manila, was arrested in Tondo Sunday.
Members of the Manila Police District’s District Intelligence Operations Unit (MPD-DPIOU) nabbed Antonio Lalu, 45, after he resisted arrest and held his wife hostage when the policemen raided his house on San Luis street.
DPIOU head Chief Inspector Daniel Buyao said Lalu surrendered after barangay officials convinced him to release his wife and yield to the police. Police recovered shabu paraphernalia, a loaded .45 caliber magazine, more than 20 .22 caliber bullets and a gun holster.
The guns themselves, including the firearm of victim Police Officer 1 Ryan Bagadiong, were not found.
MPD deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Robert Po said the DPIOU received a tip that Lalu is one of the suspects in Bagadiong’s killing last Saturday.
Lalu admitted being a drug user but denied shooting Bagadiong. He identified his companion, Florencio Geavacan, as the gunman.
Bagadiong was supposed to meet PO2 Rolando Cabalza to conduct a sidewalk clearing operation along M.H. del Pilar street last Saturday.
Senior Police Officer 1 Charles Duran said Bagadiong woke up vagrants sleeping on the sidewalk when he noticed two men on a motorcycle and acting suspiciously. He accosted the two men and told them to lie on the ground.
Lalu said he was lying on the ground when Geavacan, who was armed with a .45 caliber pistol, suddenly grabbed Bagadiong’s firearm. He said they ganged up on Bagadiong, who managed to shoot Geavacan. Lalu said Geavacan shot the policeman several times.
Bagadiong died while undergoing an operation at the Manila Doctors Hospital.
Lalu and Geavacan reportedly fled to Del Pan in Tondo and later took a taxi to a Marikina hospital, where Geavacan was treated for gunshot wounds. Geavacan remains at large.