A police corporal and a drug suspect were killed while another policeman was wounded in an encounter in a checkpoint in Caloocan City Tuesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported Wednesday.
Police Gen. Debold Sinas, PNP chief, mourned the death of Police Corporal Dexter Rey Teves of the Caloocan City Police Station 7.
He identified the slain drug suspect as Mark Gil "Macoy" Toreda.
Initial investigation disclosed that Teves and his buddy, Police Corporal Rex Abigan, were conducting an "Oplan: Sita" near the headquarters of the Caloocan City Police Ssub-station 7 in Barangay 167 Tuesday night when they flagged down motorcycle rider Toreda and his backrider, Clark Castillo, for not wearing their helmets.
The cops were asking the two riders for the documents of the motorcycle when Toreda allegedly drew a gun and shot Teves, a police report said.
Abigan wrestled with Toreda for the gun but the cop was also shot in the foot.
Luckily, Police Staff Sgt. Christopher Anos was on-duty at the police station and heard the gunfire.
Anos responded to the scene and engaged the suspects in a shootout which resulted in the death of Toreda.
Castillo tried to escape but was captured by bystanders. He was later turned over to the police.
Teves and Abigan were taken to the Novaliches General Hospital in Quezon City where Teves was declared dead on arrival by the attending doctors.
Police seized from the suspects six heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu," a 9mm pistol, an MK2 fragmentation grenade, and P3,500 cash.
Sinas assured the family of Teves of financial support from the PNP.
He extended an undisclosed amount of financial assistance to Abigan, who remained under observation at the hospital.
Teves was conferred with a pos-humuous medal "for his bravery that cost his life" while Abigan was awarded with a wounded personnel medal.