Nueva Ecija deputy police chief guns down superior

MANILA, Philippines - A municipal police chief in Nueva Ecija was gunned down by his deputy in front of a police station on New Year’s Day.

The victim, Superintendent Ricardo Dayag, 47, police chief of Talavera town, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died upon arrival at the PJG Extension Hospital in Talavera.

The suspect, Inspector Bernardo Castro, Dayag’s deputy, was arrested after the shooting that took place at around 11 p.m. Saturday.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo ordered the preventive suspension of Castro yesterday morning.

“We will resolve the administrative case (against Castro) immediately, no more than 30 days,” Robredo said in a text message to The STAR.

The administrative case is apart from the criminal charges Castro would face for his superior’s death.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., spokesman of the Philippine National Police, said initial reports showed Dayag and Castro had a heated argument outside the police station before the shooting began.

In a report to Camp Olivas, Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija police director, said Dayag heard two gunshots, prompting him to go outside the police station to check it.

Alligayu said Dayag saw Castro carrying a 9-mm caliber pistol and asked him, “Sinong nagpaputok (Who fired a gun)?”

Dayag tried to disarm Castro but the latter refused to yield the gun and instead shot the former in the knee and then fired more shots.

Police said Castro is now detained at Camp Olivas in Pampanga.