METRO Manila policemen this week continued their all-out campaign against drugs and all forms of criminality even while grieving over the death of a Caloocan City policemen who was shot and killed by an armed drug suspect last Tuesday.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Brigadier General Vicente D. Danao Jr. said the death of Corporal Dexter Teves showed that Metro Manila policemen are willing to sacrifice their lives in their effort to keep criminals at bay.
The whole NCRPO mourns over the untimely death of our comrade, Corporal Dexter R. Teves of the Caloocan City Police Station who was shot dead while performing his duty last Tuesday. In the same incident, one of our men also got injured before the suspect was neutralized,” Danao said.
It turned out that around 2:20 p.m. last Tuesday, Teves and Cp. Rex Graham Abigan were conducting Oplan: Sita in front of the Caloocan City Police Station-Station 7 along T. Samson Road in Silanganan Subdivision in Bgy. 167 when they flagged down the driver of a motorcycle who was not wearing a crash helmet.
While verifying the identities of the two, Teves asked the back-rider later identified s Clark Castillo to open his pouch for inspection. However, the driver identified as Mark Gil Torerda alias ‘Macoy,’ a resident of Camarin, Caloocan City immediately drew his firearm and shot Teves in the abdomen.
Abigan managed to grab the firearm of the suspect but was nevertheless shot in the right foot. A 3rd policeman identified as Staff Sergeant Christopher Anos was alerted by the sound of the gunfire and rushed outside their station where he saw Abigan grappling with the suspect for the gun’s possession.
Anos shot the suspect killing the latter on the spot. Teves and Abigan were taken to the Novaliches District Hospital where an attending physician declared Teves dead upon arrival.
Northern Police District director, Brig. Gen. Eliseo DC Cruz said that Castillo tried to escape but was mauled and arrested by bystanders.
The arrested suspect yielded a pouch wallet containing an MK2 fragmentation grenade, 10 heat-sealed plastic sachets containing some 30 grams of shabu worth P204,000 and P3,550 in cash.
“We deeply condemn this incident. Such armed encounter is very much unnecessary especially amid the health crisis we are facing as a Nation,” said Danao..
“I call upon our citizens to please, cooperate with your police. Let us avoid circumstances like this from happening. Stop committing unlawful acts or worst, engaging in deadly encounters with your police.
They have been manning the Metro away from their families despite the yuletide season to ensure your safety. They spent Christmas on the streets and New Years too. The least you can do is peacefully enjoy this season with your loved ones, obey the laws and be safe so they too could go home to their families after these celebrations,” said the NCRPO chief as he assured the family of the fallen Teves all the support they can get for his heroic act.
TEVES’ DEATH NOT IN VAIN
The heroic death of Teves apparently further inspired his colleagues to intensify their anti-criminality campaign this week.
On Tuesday, responding policemen from the Parañaque City Police Station arrested robbery-holdup suspect John-John Grona alias’ Jhon Diablo’ along Palanyag Road in Bgy. San Dionisio.
It turned out that the suspect at gunpoint grabbed the bag containing a P20,000 worth of cell phone and credit cards of the victim inside a passenger jeep before fleeing on foot. The victim however chased the suspect and later shouted for help from the patrolling policemen.
One of the officers shot the suspect when he fired his gun twice on them. When arrested, the suspect yielded a cal. 32 pistol with a magazine containing five live ammunition.
“Ito ang sinasabi natin na agarang responde kapag puno ng kapulisan ang mga kalsada. Sa ganitong panahon, higit na dapat maging alerto ang lahat upang mahuli ang mga mapagsamantala. Ang ating mga kababayan ay makakaasa na ang Team NCRPO ay handang maghatid ng serbisyo at tumulong anumang oras at pagkakataon, “ said Danao.
On the same day, Danao announced the arrest of four most wanted persons in Metro Manila during separate operations in Cavite, Malabon, Caloocan and Pasay cities.
He said that suspect Angelito Quinatan, the no. 1 most wanted man in Malabon was arrested by the local police on the strength of a warrant of arrest for murder with no bail recommended.
The 2nd, Rodolfo Sabujocan was arrested by Navotas City policemen on the basis of a warrant of arrest for murder and frustrated murder in Bgy. Aguado in Trece Martirez City in Cavite.
The 3rd identified as Bernabe Serrano, a man wanted for six counts of rape with no bail recommended was arrested in Bgy. 185 in Tala, Caloocan City.
The 4th identified as John Paul Lara was arrested by Pasay City policemen
Danao also lauded a member of the Quezon City Police Station 7 identified as Cpl. Benjie Bautista and Patrolman Franz Angelo Dizon of the NCRPO Regional Mobile Force for arresting a fleeing thief in Bgy. Sto. Niño in Marikina City.
It turned out that suspect Jayson Estoque,27, a resident of Sitaw Libis in Bgy. Malanday, Marikina City grabbed the neck of his 34-year old victim and dragged her towards a dark alley in E. Jacinto Street in Bgy. Sto. Niño where he stripped her of her mobile phone and sling bag containing P550 in cash.
However, Bautista, who was on his way to their station for their accounting saw the commotion and with the help of Dizon arrested the suspect following a brief chase.
