Suspect in bank exec’s slay shot dead

MANILA, Philippines - A barangay watchman tagged in the killing of a bank executive, her mother and maid in Sta. Cruz, Manila Sunday was shot dead while in police custody yesterday.

According to a report from the Manila Police District homicide section, Nestor Delizalde Jr., 34, was brought by District Police Operations Unit police officers to a follow-up operation to gather more evidence in the case at around 11:30 a.m.

The report stated that Delizalde, his hands cuffed in front of him, was on the middle seat of an Asian utility vehicle, used as a police car, when he allegedly tried to grab the gun of Police Officer 3 Michael Pastror.

Another police officer, whose name was not mentioned in the report, shot him in the head. Delizalde was rushed to a hospital in Manila, but was declared dead on arrival.

The report made no mention of other police officers who were in the car with Pastror.

Two of Delizalde’s cellmates in the MPD headquarters, Kenneth Soto and Juvonne Tolentino, claimed he had already hinted Wednesday night of his plan to escape.

Delizalde, a watchman or tanod from Tondo, was arrested Monday and was presented to Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim the next day. He confessed to robbing and killing Banco de Oro executive Evelyn Tan, her mother Teresa and their helper Cristina Bartolay in their house last Nov. 11 but could not give details on how he did it.

Delizalde’s death is not the first incident of a suspect being killed by police officers after allegedly trying to grab a lawman’s service firearm.

On Feb. 4, a Chinese man who admitted he was behind the murder of his Chinese girlfriend allegedly committed suicide after grabbing a gun from a police officer escorting him to the Manila City Hall for the inquest proceeding of his case.

Go Shung Young was the prime suspect in the killing of Zhao Chun Lan along Roxas Boulevard on Jan. 14. He was arrested by the MPD on Feb. 3.

On Sept. 6, a robbery suspect was killed by a police station commander when he allegedly tried to fire the gun he snatched from another police officer while in the MPD Station 1 in Tondo.