An altercation over the sale of illegal drugs allegedly drove a Manila policeman to shoot a colleague dead during a recent Christmas party.
This angle surfaced as murder charges were filed last week against PO2 Jugiex Quinto in the Manila Regional Trial Court for the death of PO1 Anthony Alagde.
Quinto, 32, a resident of Vigan Street, Sta. Mesa, was a member of the Manila Police District’s antinarcotics unit, while Alagde, 30, reported to the MPD’s special operations unit. They were considered “batchmates” who entered the police force in 2007.
In an interview, Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, chief of the MPD directorial staff, said Quinto executed an affidavit claiming Alagde had been asking him to peddle drugs.
“Quinto said he refused and this angered Alagde,” Cruz said. “This looks like a bukulan (street lingo for deception involving money) over the sale of illegal drugs but Quinto wants to make it appear in the affidavit that he was just being forced to do it.”
According to records submitted in court, the two officers attended the Christmas party of a neighborhood association known as “Team Samurai” on the night of Dec. 20 at Balbon’s Place, a bar and restaurant on Herbosa Extension in Tondo.
Quinto arrived at the venue ahead of Alagde. As the party was winding down around 3 a.m. the following day, most of the guests had left and only Quinto, Alagde, PO2s Nimitz Pacure and Elmer Revita and civilian Arriane Ricabierca remained.
In their joint affidavit of arrest, Pacure and Revita recalled that when Alagde arrived, “he said he just happened to be in the area and would not be staying long since he was conducting surveillance operations in Tondo.”
“(Quinto) stood up and went to the toilet. Shortly thereafter, he came back and while he was behind (Alagde), we heard a gunshot. Then Alagde fell on his face with blood all over,” said the two officers, who arrested Quinto on the spot.
Alagde did not make it alive to the hospital. Quinto remains in detention at the MPD headquarters.