Cop accused in murder of decorated army man is shot in Zamboanga

MOTORCYCLE gunmen shot and seriously wounded a policeman accused in the killing of a decorated army officer in Zamboanga City ,in southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said PO3 Alzhamier Arasid was driving his tricycle along Natividad Street when gunmen attacked him last week. He was shot in the head and is in serious condition at the hospital.

Police linked Arasid to the June 19 murder of Lieutenant Colonel Cristobal Julian Paolo Perez, who was shot several times in the head and body at the back of his house in Guiwan village. It said at least 2 gunmen were involved in the killing of Perez.

The 46-year old Perez assigned with the 1st Infantry Division in Zamboanga del Sur’s Labangan town was rushed to hospital where he died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the police.

Superintendent Luisito Magnaye, the city’s police chief, said they filed murder charges against Arasid and was just waiting for the issuance of the arrest warrant from the court when the policeman was shot.

“We are just waiting for the warrant so we can arrest Arasid, but this happened. We are still investigating the shooting, but Arasid is the prime suspect in the killing of Perez,” Magnaye said, adding that the killing of Perez was personal grudge. He did not elaborate.

No individual claimed responsibility for the shooting of Arasid. Perez was one of the army’s top commanding officers who had been largely credited for the killings of two Malaysian bombers and Abu Sayyaf jihadists in Basilan and Sulu provinces during his stint with the army.