Cop shoots ‘friend’ in own home

MANILA, Philippines—Investigators are trying to determine what could have prompted a Parañaque policeman to drop in on his friend in the dead of night—and kill him.

Even as they tried to establish his motive, Parañaque police launched a hunt for their colleague, Police Officer 2 Joseph Padilla of Community Precinct 7 in Barangay San Dionisio.

Padilla allegedly shot dead Roniel Javier, 28, at 2:30 a.m. on Friday in the presence of his family at the victim’s home in  Tramo 2, Palanyag, also in San Dionisio.

A field report to the Southern Police District Tactical Operations Center said that Javier was sleeping in his home, together with his live-in partner Liezel Aranas and their two sons, when Padilla knocked at their door.

In a phone interview, Parañaque Police Investigation Division head Chief Inspector Enrique Sy said that Aranas, who knew the suspect, simply let him into the house and went to wake her husband up.

As Javier shuffled out to meet Padilla, the latter started yelling “Gago ka, ako pa kinatalo mo!” (“You idiot, how dare go against me!” before shooting the victim with his .45-caliber handgun.

According to the police report, Padilla then “casually” walked out to his blue motorcycle and sped off toward Himlayan, Palanyag. He remains at large.

Javier, who suffered a gunshot wound in the back of the head, was rushed to the Florencio V. Bernabe Sr. Memorial Hospital in La Huerta, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Sy, quoting Aranas, said the suspect and the victim knew each other well, with the suspect often sending the victim out on errands.

“Magkaibigan sila. Inuutusan niya ‘yun. Bata niya ‘yun, (They were friends. He used to send him on errands. He was his flunky)” he said, describing the relationship between the policeman and the victim.

Sy surmised Padilla believed Javier may have deceived him in some way. The investigator quoted Aranas as saying it may have involved money.

In a phone interview, Parañaque chief of police Senior Superintendent Billy Beltran said they were  trying to locate Padilla, who was positively identified by Aranas and another Tramo 2 resident.

“The order remains for his arrest, so he can answer the murder allegations,” Beltran said. “If he has not been caught by Monday, or if he does not surrender, we will file criminal and administrative complaints against him,” he added.

Beltran said Padilla’s fleeing and hiding was indicative of guilt, “but we are waiting to hear his side.”