Cop tagged in drag race shooting puts up alibi

MANILA, Philippines–The Manila Police District has detained a member accused of shooting a 17-year-old boy in the neck after apprehending him for joining an illegal car race in front of Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park in the wee hours of Dec. 26.

PO1 Edmer Villanueva of the MPD’s Ermita station was taken into custody by his colleagues in the General Assignment and Investigation Section (Gais) on Monday after he voluntarily turned himself in at the district headquarters to give his side of the story.

Gais members interviewed by the Inquirer said Villanueva denied his involvement in the apprehension and shooting of Jericho Salazar, saying he was not even at the site of the drag race at the time.

They said Villanueva claimed he was then in Bicutan, Taguig City, and was undergoing training to be a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.

But Chief Insp. Arsenio Riparip, head of MPD-GAIS, said Villanueva was placed under arrest when Salazar and his brother Jesus confirmed that he was the shooter after seeing the officer in person.

The brothers initially could not name the shooter, noting that he was then wearing a jacket that concealed his name on his uniform, but later tagged Villanueva after being shown his photo from the MPD personnel records.

The MPD presented Villanueva to the wounded teenager, who as of Tuesday was still confined at Ospital ng Maynila where he underwent surgery for the bullet that got lodged in his throat.

Villanueva has been charged with frustrated homicide.