Traffic enforcer shot after flagging down men on motorcycle

A traffic enforcer luckily survived after he was shot by gunmen riding a motorcycle who he had flagged down for not wearing helmets in Navotas City Wednesday morning.

Senior Police Officer 1 Allan Joey Ogatia, investigator on case, said Alvin Garcia, 43, member of the city’s traffic and parking management office, and a resident of Navotas West, rushed himself to Tondo Medical Center after he sustained a gunshot wound in his body.

Initial investigation showed that Garcia was on duty on Virgo Drive, Barangay North Bay Boulevard South, when he stopped the two men on board a Kawasaki Enduro for not wearing helmets around 7:40 a.m.

Ogatia said that aside from not wearing helmets, the motorcycle of the suspects had no license plate. Garcia then asked for a driver’s license and the motorcycle’s registration papers but the riders failed to produce any, Ogatia said.

As Garcia was issuing a violation ticket, the men reportedly drew their firearms. His co-worker, Norberto Villanueva Jr. tried to pacify the situation but the driver fired shots at him but missed. The back rider then shot Garcia in the body, police said.

The armed men immediately sped off after the incident.

Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco condemned the incident and promised to shoulder Garcia’s medical expenses.

Police were not able to recover any closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the area. Follow-up investigation is still on-going.