Cop killed, wife hurt in ambush

MANILA, Philippines - A police officer was killed while his wife was wounded in an ambush staged by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Mandaluyong City yesterday morning.

Chief Inspector Elmer Santiago died from multiple gunshot wounds at the Polymedic Medical Center, police said.

Santiago was assigned at the Police Holding and Administrative Unit at Camp Crame.

His wife, Agnes, was shot in the arms, said city police chief Senior Superintendent Tyrone Masigon.

Masigon said Agnes is still in a state of shock in the same hospital.

“We are waiting for her to regain her bearings before asking her about the shooting incident,” Masigon said.

He said all posibble motives for the killing will be looked into.

The Mandaluyong police chief said the suspects were really out to kill Santiago as they emptied their Armalite rifle, caliber .45 and 9mm pistols on the police official.

Chief Inspector Herculano Mago, head investigator of the Mandaluyong police, said Santiago and his wife were on a black Toyota Altis traversing Talumpong street in Barangay Malamig when the suspects appeared from nowhere at around 10:40 a.m.

Quoting witnesses, Mago said the gunmen positioned themselves at the left side of the vehicle and opened fire at Santiago, who was behind the wheel.

Police said the suspects wearing black bonnets escaped on a motorcycle toward Boni Avenue after the attack.

Bystanders rushed Santiago and his wife to the hospital but the police officer died along the way.

Santiago had been tagged by former Pasig congressman Robert Jaworski Jr. as the alleged protector of a shabu “tiangge” in Barangay Sto. Tomas that was raided in 2006.

A staff member of Jaworski later admitted that he was misinformed on the issue.

Former Pasig mayor Vicente Eusebio had defended the police officer from Jaworski’s accusations.

Masigon said they received reports that Santiago recently stormed the office of his colleague in Parañaque over a misunderstanding.

Santiago was charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives following the incident. But Masigon said that he could have posted bail.