Muntinlupa misencounter probed

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Authorities were studying the circumstances that led to a firefight in Muntinlupa City Tuesday evening which left a policeman and a carjacking suspect dead, saying that the job of the involved officers from Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group does not include conducting police operations.

“We admit that these officers are not operatives,” Police Superintendent Elizabeth Velasquez, HPG spokesperson said, pertaining to Senior Police Officer 1 Macario Romano and  SPO1 Aniceto Santiago, both with HPG but assigned to its Motor Vehicle Clearance Division (MVCD).

Part of their job, Velasquez said, is to conduct survey or surveillance. Information which may be gathered from this will be relayed to HPG’s Operation Division, which is authorize to launch anti-carjacking work.

Velasquez also confirmed that the HPG officers were in civilian clothes and were not using a marked vehicle. She said the officers had violated the organization’s operating procedures.

At around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Romano and Santiago shot and killed Michael Maranan, 33, who was their target in their operation in Fabian Compound in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

PO3 Mersar Rapirap, who lives in the area and was on his way home, opened fire at Romano and Santiago thinking they were criminals, according to Police Senior Superintendent Eliseo Cruz chief of HPG’s MVCD.

A brief gun battle broke out.

Romano was hit and rushed to the Ospital ng Muntinlupa but he was declared dead on arrival.

Officers Santiago, Rapirap, along with three other bystanders, were also wounded and brought to the hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile as to the accusation of the wife of Maranan that her husband was suddenly shot by the officers, the HPG spokesperson said they were still looking at this matter, noting that they will be able to determine who first opened fire through ballistic examination.

The result of the ballistics examination will be known in two to three days, Velasquez said.

She also said they will look into the possibility that there was some element of “provocation” that triggered the exchange of gunfire.

HPG has extended financial assistance to the victims.