Ex-PMMA cadet, cop dead in Caloocan shootout

MANILA, Philippines — A former cadet of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) and a lawman were killed while a police officer was injured in an alleged shootout in Caloocan City on Sunday.

Investigation showed that the suspect, Martin Luther Nunez, 42, a former PMMA cadet, was being pursued by operatives of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) after he allegedly fired his gun indiscriminately in Barangay Pasong Putik at around 11:30 a.m.

Witnesses told probers that Nunez, who was drunk, pulled out a handgun and repeatedly fired at a canal along Bougainvilla street.

Police said Nunez was cornered at his home at Maligaya Parkland Subdivision in Barangay 177 at around 4:15 p.m. He allegedly refused to surrender and opened fire at the QCPD operatives.

The suspect reportedly shot dead Cpl. Noel Ogano, a Special Weapons and Tactics officer, who was pronounced dead at the Commonwealth Medical Center.

Another police officer, Lt. Col. Jerry Castillo, deputy commander of the QCPD’s district mobile force battalion, was injured in the incident.

Nunez died during the encounter that lasted around 30 minutes. Police said a .22-caliber handgun and another firearm of unknown caliber were recovered from the suspect.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin condoled with Ogano’s family and vowed to release the benefits accorded to them.

“The only way that the PNP can somewhat console the family is to speed up the release of benefits and entitlements due him,” Azurin said at a press briefing yesterday.