Ex-cop shot, killed by 6 men on motorcycles

Constancio Pitagan, a 62-year-old retired policeman, was about to sleep on Sunday night when his daughter told him that someone was pelting rocks at their house in Quezon City.

When he opened the door to check, he was instantly met by a volley of fire, leaving him wounded.

Case investigator Police Officer 2 George Caculba said the victim, despite his injuries, managed to duck back into his house to get his gun but six armed men barged inside and finished him off.

Pitagan, a former desk officer and antinarcotics agent of the Batasan police station who held the rank of SPO4, died inside his home on Sto. Niño Street in Barangay (village) Payatas A where he lived with his wife and daughter.

Scene of the Crime Operatives later recovered from the crime scene more than 40 casings taken from a .45-cal. pistol, a .380-cal. firearm and Armalite rifle, Caculba added.

Witnesses said the six gunmen went to the victim’s house on three motorcycles at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. They then started throwing rocks to get his attention.

The policeman’s daughter heard the noise as she was in the living room, prompting her to tell her father about it.

The police said the victim was shot several times as he clutched a .45-cal. pistol in his hand. Found inside his house was another pistol, a .45-cal. Colt pistol, which had been entrusted to him for safekeeping by a friend.

Caculba learned from the victim’s neighbor that a few minutes before the attack, the armed men drove in front of the former policeman’s house several times.