Cop tagged in Napolcom shooting

MANILA, Philippines — A Malabon policeman is being considered as one of five persons of interest in the killing of a Marikina policeman at the parking area of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) headquarters in Makati City last Thursday, an official said yesterday.

Police Officer 1 Rollsmith Ducusin, assigned to Malabon’s Police Community Precinct 5, went missing after PO2 Teejay Valdez was gunned down, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar said.

He told The STAR that investigators went to Ducusin to shed light on Valdez’s murder, but Ducusin has not reported for work since Thursday.

“He is missing. So he is now considered a person of interest,” Eleazar said.

Ducusin and Valdez were involved in a gunfight that resulted in the death of Senior Police Officer 1 Arnel Fortez, who was trying to stop them, at the Eastwood police station of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) in 2016.

Eleazar said both Ducusin and Valdez are facing a charge of homicide and administrative cases while they both filed frustrated murder against each other after they sustained wounds in the gunfight.

Senior Superintendent Rogelio Simon, Makati City police chief, said “all of their (pieces of) evidence” lead to Ducusin, whose father has agreed to cooperate in the investigation.

Seen on video

Simon said they are looking at least five persons of interest, including Ducusin, in the killing of Valdez after they checked another copy of the closed-circuit television footage of the incident.

Based on the footage, Simon said the assailant got off a vehicle driven by a still unidentified person, shot Valdez shortly after the victim stepped outside the Napolcom building and rode a motorcycle parked near the crime scene.

“The timing… means he had a spotter outside, near the victim, or inside,” he said.

Simon said they have created a special investigating team to work on Valdez’s case. He also asked the Marikina, Malabon and Quezon City police for help.

Asked about the motive, Simon said Valdez had been involved in several administrative and criminal cases. He added that they are setting aside the drug angle since Valdez appeared to have no connection to the illegal drug trade.