Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan praised the injured members of the Manila Police District (MPD) for their exemplary commitment and bravery, following their armed encounter with a wanted gang member in Tondo, Manila on July 11.
"The City of Manila extols the sheer bravery and complete devotion to duty of the Manila Police District officers who sustained gunshot injuries while serving an arrest warrant last July 11 in Balut, Tondo," Lacuna-Pangan said on Thursday, July 18.
Based on the police report, the officers were supposed to serve an arrest warrant on Archie "RJ" Juco, who has a murder case in Balut, Tondo.
Upon the arrival of the police, Juco and another man immediately locked the door preventing the officers from entering the suspect's house.
The suspect and his cohort went to the second floor of the house, jumped out of a window, and climbed on a neighbor's roof to fire a gun at the MPD personnel, hitting them.
The mayor commended Maj. Emmark Dave Apostol, Lt. Melvin Florida, Maj. Kevin Rey Bautista, Lt. Col. John Guiagui and Lt. Leo So who are still recovering from their injuries.
"I wish them a speedy recovery and swift return to duty when they are able," the mayor added.
The local chief executive also congratulated the law enforcement units involved in the operation including the Manila District Police Office Intelligence Operations Unit (DPIOU), Special Mayor’s Reaction Team, Raxabago Police Station, and the MPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) for their persistence to arrest the suspect despite encountering armed resistance.
The judge of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 6, Cirile Maduro Foja, was also cited for authorizing the arrest of the suspect for his murder case.
The mayor also thanked the confidential informant whom the police said led them to the hideout of the suspect.
The city government said the mayor has started directing the city hall departments to extend available assistance to the injured police officers and their families as well the MPD and officials of Barangay 145 in Balut, Tondo, to conduct "Preventive Community Policing Operations" against crime gang groups.
Meanwhile, the mayor also emphasized that the MPD under the leadership of its director, Brigadier Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, has the second lowest crime rate among the police districts in the National Capital Regions.
"I therefore commend the MPD again on this accomplishment. I hope it will motivate the MPD to do more to keep Manileños and transients safe and secure," she added.