Cops tagged in slay of Quezon mayor’s son surrender

MANILA, Philippines — The sacked police chief of Tayabas, Quezon and two of his men, who were tagged in the killing of the son of Mayor Christian Gayeta of Sariaya, Quezon, surrendered yesterday.

Superintendent Mark Joseph Laygo, Police Officer 2 Lonald Sumalpong and PO1 Robert Legazpi showed up at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City, Laguna at around 10 a.m.

Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, Calabarzon police director, said Laygo surrendered to his “friend” who heads the Regional Special Operations Group.

Laygo, Sumalpong and  Legazpi would be placed under restrictive custody at Camp Nakar in Lucena City.

Senior Superintendent Joseph Arguelles, Quezon police director, said 15 other police officers were placed under restrictive custody.

Gayeta’s son, 21-year old Christian, and his companion Christopher Manalo were reportedly killed in an alleged shootout with police officers who responded to reports of indiscriminate firing at a gasoline station in Barangay Baguio in Tayabas last week.

However, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said its probe showed that there was no shootout.

Dominador Villanueva, NBI-Quezon office chief, said Legazpi and Sumalpong were the gunmen while Laygo is the brains in the killing.

Villanueva said Sumalpong and Legazpi were positively identified by their fellow police officers who were present during the supposed operation that led to an alleged encounter with the victims.

He said the three police officers would be charged with two counts of murder on Monday.

“We are also looking at robbery... we are checking an information that the victims were carrying money,” Villanueva told The STAR.

Gayeta said he believes that the police officers were responsible for the killing of his son, who was buried yesterday.