Cop kills teener, young man who attacked him in Malate
MANILA, Philippines—A high school student of Pasay City and her friend were shot dead in Malate, Manila, on Sunday morning by a policeman whom they allegedly mauled after mistaking him for the person they earlier fought with in a bar in the city.
A lone gunshot wound in the chest ended the life of 16-year-old Camille Ventura. Ventura’s friend Emerson Lopez, 20, also a resident of Pasay City, also died of a bullet wound in the chest, while another companion Carl Michael Cueto, 18, was wounded in the abdomen and is now being treated at the Ospital ng Maynila.
Initial police investigation disclosed that Ventura with 10 other companions earlier figured in a fight with another group inside a bar in Harbor Square in Malate. They were escorted out by the business establishment’s security personnel to prevent more trouble.
SPO3 Glenzor Vallejo said the group later stationed themselves beside a gasoline station along A. Mabini corner P. Ocampo Streets at around 4:30 a.m. to wait for the individuals whom they encountered in the bar.
The case investigator added that when the taxi carrying PO3 Ariel Yala, a policeman assigned at the Logistic Support Service, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, and four other companions passed Ventura and her friends, the group went after the taxicab and forcibly opened the cab’s door when it made a full stop at a red light.
Taxi driver Henry Coralde told investigators that his passengers were attacked and mauled inside the vehicle by more or less 10 individuals.
“During the attack, I suddenly heard a gun shot rang from behind me,” Coralde added and noted that the policeman was sitting in the back passenger seat of his vehicle.
Homicide investigators explained that the victims and their friends mistook Yala’s group for the people they earlier clashed with. According to Vallejo, Yala and his companions Gene Hope Cainglet, Rey Chris Saavedra, Jordan Tuilo and Agnes Penaflor claimed that they boarded the taxi along A. Mabini in front of Cowboy Grill Restaurant. The information was also confirmed by the taxi driver.
Vallejo said that initial investigation and questioning of the persons involved showed that the policeman fired his 9mm gun after seeing that his group was outnumbered by their attackers. The police officer told investigators that they have never met the victims and their friends and that the mauling took them by surprise.
Investigators said Ventura and Lopez were rushed by their companions to the Manila Adventist Medical Center (formerly Manila Sanitarium Hospital) in Pasay City but were both declared dead on arrival.
Scene of the crime operatives recovered from the policeman his gun and a loaded magazine containing 11 live ammunition. One empty shell was also found inside the taxi.
Vallejo told the Inquirer that Yala and his four companions were under custodial investigation at the Malate Police Station, as of Sunday. They were set to undergo gunpowder testing.
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