SHOOTOUT IN BUSY STREET
Rogue cop killed; 2 bystanders hurt
A police operation held in a busy intersection in Quezon City Monday afternoon left one rogue cop dead and four others hurt, including two bystanders, one of them a 12-year-old boy.
The shootout took place at around 4 p.m. at the corner of Quezon and Roces Avenue filled with commuters and passers-by.
Quezon City Police District Chief Superintendent Edgardo Gonzales Tinio identified the lone fatality as Senior Police Officer 1 Wilberto Blanco, 39, a resident of North Gate subdivision, San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan.
Blanco died from a bullet wound on the head inside his vehicle – a black Isuzu Mux (ASA-7504). Injured were his companions Harlie Linda, 34, and Diana Linda, 28, both residents of Tandang Sora, Quezon City.
Two bystanders – Louie Jay Villareal, 12, of Lasa Villa Building in Quezon Avenue and Ricardo Ungson Jr., 39, of Roxas District in QC were also wounded during the gunfight.
Blanco, a suspected gun smuggler, was the target of an entrapment operation by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Task Force Tugis under Senior Superintendent Ronald Lee.
Acting on a tip by an informer, a member of the task force arranged a deal with Blanco through text messages for the purchase of Intratec, a machine pistol worth ₱30,000.
They agreed to meet inside the Quezon Memorial Circle at 9:35 a.m. Blanco did not show up. Less than two hours later at 11:15 a.m., the suspect texted again, transferring the meeting place at Jollibee in Philcoa.
Operatives waited for him only to receive another text message from Blanco asking to meet the buyer at 3:15 p.m. at Shakey’s on West Avenue.
Again, the meeting place was changed again, this time in front of SOGO Hotel besides the 7-11 convenience store. He texted the car’s make and plate number to the purported buyer while he waited inside his vehicle.
The police poseur-buyer and the informant, who helped facilitate the deal, approached the SUV and knocked at the window of the vehicle.
However, the driver of the SUV, apparently sensing something fishy, sped off, hitting the bystanders and vehicles parked along Roces Avenue.
An occupant inside the SUV opened fire at the approaching operatives, triggering the shootout.
Seized from Blanco were one Glock 19 Caliber 9mm loaded with one magazine with 11 live ammunitions and one extra magazine loaded with 14 live ammunitions and one Pietro Beretta 9mm loaded with one magazine with 14 live ammunitions.
A caliber .45 Taurus pistol with one magazine and six live ammunitions was found in possession of Harlie Linda while the Intratec machine pistol and caliber .9mm with one magazine loaded with 21 live ammunitions were seized from Diana Linda.
Also seized was a maroon bag containing what police suspect as one kilo of shabu placed inside a zip lock plastic bag.
Tinio said appropriate charges will be filed against the suspects at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
During a press briefing, Tinio said the killed policeman had pending cases at regional level.
“I hope that this incident should send a strong message or warning to all personnel that they must not engage in any illegal activities, otherwise, they shall face the full force of the law,” Tinio said. “We condemn the illegal acts done by Blanco. We will look into this case very closely.”
“Kung ayaw nilang pa-disiplina, I call on these people who are hiding their criminal activities in the police uniform that they might as well leave the organization,” he added.
Tinio, at the same time, said they will ask Anonas Police Station 9 Supt. Richard Fiesta to explain why one of his men was involved in illegal activities.
“Titignan namin din kung may command responsibility ang Station 9 commander. We will let him explain,” he said.
Tinio said the seized cell phones of the suspects will undergo forensic examination to determine all transactions made by them.