Police Officer 2 Zalde Elumbia, of Barangay (village) San Andres, Cainta, Rizal, and Reynaldo Tapay of Barangay Nova Proper were shot dead by still unidentified suspects in Tapay’s neighborhood.
Case investigator Senior Police Officer 1 Cristituto Zaldarriaga said the two were killed on the spot in front of the Rolits Store and Bakery on Doña Rosario Street at 2 a.m. Wednesday.
Elumbia was shot in the chest and Tapay in the neck.
Elumbia turned 37 years old last Thursday but was celebrating his birthday belatedly with Tapay when they were attacked.
Police recovered two empty shells and a live 9-mm bullet from the scene.
Elumbia had been allegedly suspended for his supposed involvement in the death of a man during a gang rivalry, to which he had responded, in Rizal last year.
Following his suspension, his siblings got Elumbia a job at the Gatorade company in Quezon City.
On Tuesday night after work, Elumbia and Tapay, a co-worker, went out with colleagues to celebrate Elumbia’s birthday.
The victims were on their way home on a motorcycle when they decided to stop by a neighborhood store to buy more beer.
A store helper said he had just handed over some bottles of Red Horse beer to the victims and went back inside the store to arrange his wares when he heard shouts.
One of the victims was heard smashing one of the beer bottles, shouting “O sige, labas ang matapang diyan!”
The store helper then heard two gunshots and saw the victims already on the ground.
Apart from the store owner, no one has yet come forward to give a statement on the shooting.