PNP to probe death of Ping’s police escort

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has ordered an investigation into the killing of one of the police escorts of Senator Panfilo Lacson by his three colleagues in Muntinlupa City last week.

The developed as the Muntinlupa police filed murder charges against Lacson bodyguards SPO4 Miguel Nepumuceno, assigned to the National Capital Regional Police Office; PO1 Paul Ballado and PO2 Edgardo Mangulaban of the Police Security and Protection Office (PSPO) in connection with the killing of SPO1 Norwell Corpuz, who had been assigned to the senator last month.

A ranking Camp Crame official said all angles should be explored in the Corpuz case.

Initial investigation showed that all four were aboard a Toyota Revo (WFS-874) that was cruising on the Alabang-Zapote Road bound for Muntinlupa City on the night of Sept. 27 when the incident allegedly happened.

Muntinlupa police reports showed that prior to the incident, Corpuz had a heated argument with his three colleagues, triggering a shootout inside their running vehicle.

Police investigators, however, noted that while there were blood stains on the floor of the van, there was no bullet holes or signs of a struggle to prove that the shooting occurred inside the vehicle.

"We are looking into the possibility that SPO1 Corpuz was killed elsewhere and not inside the van as claimed by his colleagues," a Camp Crame police investigator said.

The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds in various parts of his body.

"If a gunfight occurred inside the car, there should at least be bullet holes inside the car, but not one was found," said one Camp Crame prober.

The three suspects are currently detained at the Muntinlupa City police station after murder charges were filed against them on orders of Senior Superintendent Erasto Sanchez, the city’s police chief.