Trigger-happy cop now wanted for murder

MANILA, Philippines—A few months after he got in trouble for firing his gun during Christmas, a rookie policeman upped his trigger-happy antics by repeatedly shooting and killing a man in Tondo.

Manila police are now hunting down PO1 Fulgencio Sideco, of the Regional Headquarters Support Group of the National Capital Region Police Office, after he repeatedly fired at and killed Danilo Serrano, 62, on Tuesday afternoon.

A few months ago, Sideco already faced criminal and administrative charges and was disarmed after he gatecrashed a Christmas party in his neighborhood in Simon Street in Tondo, poked his gun at guests and fired shots into the air. Sideco admitted to the media that he used illegal drugs.

The confiscation of his service firearm and the ongoing dismissal proceedings against him apparently did not deter Sideco from his trigger-happy ways.

A pedicab driver and a woman were also wounded in Sideco’s shooting spree on Tuesday. A report made by homicide investigator PO3 Alonzo Layugan said they were hit on the feet by stray bullets.

Serrano was sitting outside his home at the corner of Lacson and Romana Streets at around 4:30 p.m. when Sideco showed up and shot at him without warning. As Serrano lay bleeding on the concrete, Sideco simply continued to fire at him, Layugan said.

Seven spent cartridges and a slug from an unknown caliber were recovered from the scene.

Layugan told reporters Sideco had a long-standing grudge with Serrano’s son, and he had apparently taken out his anger on the elder Serrano. Sideco escaped after the shooting.