Cop survives slay try, says colleague is gunman

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna—A policeman pointed to a fellow policeman as behind a failed attempt on his life here Wednesday night.

Senior Police Officer 1 Renato Opeña said Police Officer 2 Frederick Natiola, a colleague at the city police office, was the one who shot and wounded him in a village here.

According to city police chief Superintendent Josel Pernito, Opeña was driving his personal van in Barangay Lecheria at around 8:30 p.m. when a gunman on a motorcycle shot him.

Opeña suffered three gunshot wounds but managed to call for back-up from the city police headquarters.

While at the hospital, the victim told investigators it was Natiola who shot him.

Natiola gave himself up the same evening, saying he wanted to clear his name.

Pernito refused to discuss what could have prompted the attack, adding that Natiola has been temporarily reassigned to the Laguna provincial police headquarters to “avoid a whitewash” in the investigation.