Search for illegal guns turns bloody

LUBAO, Pampanga, Philippines – A police operation to serve a search warrant led to the wounding of a policeman and the killing of a man suspected of keeping firearms and ammunition in his home in Barangay San Roque Arbol here last Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Marlon Madrid, provincial police director, said a joint team of the Lubao police and the Regional Public Safety Battalion swooped down on the house of Jesus Torres, alias Boy Pana, to serve the search warrant issued by Guagua Regional Trial Court Judge Jonel Mercado.

Madrid said Torres hid in one of the bedrooms, and as the lawmen began scouring his home for guns and bullets, went out and opened fire at them.

PO2 Randy Pascasio was hit but was unharmed because of the bullet vest he was wearing. But Torres lobbed a grenade, wounding Pascasio with shrapnels.

Torres threw another grenade, forcing policemen to shoot him.