MANILA, Philippines -- A police escort has killed a man who allegedly stole the necklace of the female VIP he was securing in Manila.
PO2 Jesus Salvador, 29, detailed with the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) in Camp Crame, immediately surrendered and turned over his caliber .9 mm service pistol to investigators of the Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section after figuring in shootout with the still unidentified man, described to be 35 years old, of medium build, and sported a ?Raymund Balyada? tattoo on his back.
A teenager identified as Juniel Gullas, 17, a student, was hit on the left foot by a stray bullet after getting caught in the crossfire. He was brought to the Ospital ng Maynila for treatment.
SPO3 Danilo Vidad, case investigator, said the shoot-out happened at around 6 p.m., Wednesday, at the corner of Quirino and Taft Avenues in Malate.
In his report, Vidad said that before the shooting, PO2 Salvador had been escorting a VIP aboard a Ford F-150. However, when the vehicle stopped at an intersection, an unidentified man approached the front passenger seat where the VIP was seated.
At that time, the case investigator stressed, the window had been open because the female VIP had been smoking.
The unidentified man suddenly poked a gun at the VIP and took her necklace worth P50,000. Salvador immediately alighted from the vehicle and tried to stop the man from fleeing but the robber aimed his gun at the police officer.
This allegedly prompted PO2 Salvador to draw his pistol and trade shots with the suspect, who -- although hit -- was able to hop aboard a getaway motorcycle driven by an accomplice.
Several meters away from the scene of the crime, the injured man fell from the motorcycle and was left behind by his cohort, who reportedly fled with the gun and the loot. He subsequently bled to death.
The unidentified man?s body was brought to the St. Harold Funeral Parlor for autopsy and safekeeping while follow-up operations are underway for the arrest of his cohort and the recovery of the stolen item.
