CANDELARIA, Quezon – A police officer investigating a road rage incident was gunned down in Barangay Bukal Sur here on Saturday morning, May 6.
The victim was identified as Police Corporal Reniel Marin of the Candelaria Municipal Police Station.
Marin had earlier responded to a traffic altercation involving tricycle drivers Morfie Azul and Teodolo Rustia.
They nearly collided while driving their motorcycles on a narrow road in Sitio Bagong Pook, Barangay Bukal Sur at around 11:30 a.m.
An argument ensued between them, which led to Rustia to shoot Azul twice in the body.
Azul was taken to a hospital while Rustia fled the crime scene.
Marin and two other police officers later went to Rustia's house for follow-up investigation and arrest.
While the policemen were talking to Rustia's wife, Azul's brother, Efren, an Army reservist, arrived and shot the lawmen.
Marin and Rustia’s 12-year-old daughter were hit and taken to the hospital where the police officer succumbed to bullet wounds at 6 p.m.
Morfie and the teenage girl are in stable condition. Rustia and Efren are still at large.
Police said that Efren misunderstood that the three lawmen were involved in the shooting of his brother.