Court orders arrest of cop over QCPD-PDEA shootout

MANILA, Philippines — A Quezon City court yesterday ordered the arrest of a policeman who was among those charged in connection with a shootout between agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and police officers along Commonwealth Avenue last year.

Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 43 Judge Don Ace Mariano Alagar issued a warrant for the arrest of Cpl. Paul Christian Gandeza.

Gandeza is among the four operatives of the Quezon City Police District who was charged with direct assault by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The court set P36,000 bail for Gandeza’s temporary liberty.

The court has yet to issue warrants for the arrest of Senior M/Sgt. Melvin Merida, Lt. Honey Besas and Maj. Sandie Caparroso.

The DOJ ordered their indictment over the injuries suffered by PDEA agents Raymart Bayote, Prince Bernard Gallego, Brenson Sulang and Allan Capiral during the shootout.

Two policemen, a PDEA officer and an informant died in the shootout, which authorities described as a “misencounter” on Feb. 24, 2021.