Cop-owner of firecracker stall subjected to inquest for slay raps

A policeman who is the alleged owner of an illegal firecracker stall where a police team was ambushed has been subjected to inquest proceedings for murder and frustrated murder.

This is apart from the charges lodged against the policeman, PO1 Faisal Mala, on Friday night for violation of Republic Act 7183 or the law regulating the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firecrackers.

Mala underwent inquest proceedings before the Quezon City prosecutors’ office a day after he was arrested for maintaining an illegal firecrackers stall.

Chief Insp. Rodelio Marcelo of the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, said Mala, 33, waived his right to a regular preliminary investigation.

As a result, the policeman will be detained until the inquest prosecutor determines if there is probable cause to indict him for the charges.

Hanna Maoten-Shiekdugar, Mala’s sister-in-law, was also charged for possessing a knife and violating RA 7183.

She was taken into custody after the ambush on Thursday which resulted in the death of PO2 Bernardo Quintero and the wounding of PO2 Jessie Adajar.

The two victims, both of the Fairview police station, were shot at during an ambush of the police team which conducted an inspection of the illegal firecracker stall reportedly owned by Mala.

Mala claimed to be assigned to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao Provincial Police Office in Lanao del Sur.

He was pointed by three policemen as among the around eight gunmen armed with high-powered guns who opened fire on the raiding team on Thursday, a charge that Mala has vehemently denied.

Marcelo said they were tracking three other assailants whose aliases were provided by witnesses.