Cop tagged in lawyer’s ambush won’t get benefits

MANILA, Philippines — The family of the slain policeman allegedly involved in the ambush of a lawyer in Quezon City will not receive benefits from the Philippine National Police (PNP), an official said yesterday.

Director Leo Angelo Leuterio, deputy chief of the PNP Internal Affairs Service, said Police Officer 1 Mark Ayeras is not entitled to any form of assistance.

Leuterio said Ayeras’ privileges as a police officer were forfeited when he went AWOL or absent without leave in August last year.

“He did a dishonorable way of getting out of the police service,” Leuterio told reporters.

Ayeras was tagged as one of the suspects in the ambush of Argel Joseph Cabatbat on Tuesday.

Cabatbat survived the attack.

Ayeras was killed after one of Cabatbat’s companions shot him.     

The police officer was run over by Cabatbat’s vehicle.

Another alleged gunman, John Paul Napoles, was wounded and is being guarded by police in the hospital.