Pasig cop in shooting rampage kills 1, injures 3 others

MANILA, Philippines—Manila police have launched a manhunt for a Pasig City colleague who allegedly went into a shooting spree Sunday morning at a wake, killing one man and wounding three others in Sta. Ana, Manila.

Operatives of the Manila Police District homicide section have fanned out to track down Police Officer 1 Sonny Merino of Pasig City Police who is assigned with the Eastern Police District office. He immediately fled after the attack.

The incident left Apolonio Torres, 28, of Oro-B Street, Estrada Extension, Barangay 770 Zone 84, Sta. Ana, dead from two bullet wounds in the head, and three of his companions—Eduardo Vidar, 28; Fernando Morales, 41; and Ruelio Matias, 29—wounded.

Vidar, Morales and Matias were taken to the Sta. Ana Hospital for treatment of their gunshot wounds.

Torres was declared dead some eight hours after the incident, which happened at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, by attending doctors at the same hospital while he was undergoing treatment for his bullet wounds.

MPD homicide section head Inspector Armando Macaraeg disclosed that the incident happened at a wake along Oro-B St., Estrada Extension in Sta. Ana.

Macaraeg said that before the incident, the four men were attending the wake and playing “cara y cruz” when Merino arrived and, for no reason, suddenly drew his service pistol and started firing at the gamblers.

Torres was hit twice in the back of the head, Vidar was shot in the left hand, Morales sustained a bullet wound in the head, while Matias was wounded in the left forearm.

Torres succumbed to his bullet wounds at around 5:40 p.m.