Cop doing surveillance mauled

CEBU, Philippines - A cop who was conducting surveillance with a colleague inside the Mandaue City coliseum Wednesday afternoon landed in the hospital after he was mauled by four men.

PO1 Mar Expidito Villamonte and PO2 Jason Estrera went to the area after receiving a tip about the presence of a burglary suspect.

PO2 David Omambac of the Centro Police Station said as they parked their motorcycle outside the coliseum, they saw one Erwin Mendaros,37, in the area and they arrested him for violating the city’s anti-dispatching ordinance.

But Mendaros resisted and a commotion started.  Zaldy Perez, a former councilor of Barangay Banilad in Mandaue City noticed the commotion and confronted the two policemen.

Perez asked if they were really policemen as they were in plain clothes.

Perez also asked for their identification cards, guns and badges.

Then, Perez allegedly started to drag Villamonte.

Perez, together with Mendaros and two others identified as Raymundo Gala and Jonas Desoyo, allegedly mauled the cop.

PO2 Michael Cortes who happened to be in a nearby vulcanizing shop went to the area upon learning of the commotion.

Estrera called for back-up but the suspects were quick to leave the place upon sensing the arrival of the operatives of the Centro Police Station and the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT).

Villamonte sustained injuries in the different parts of his body and Estrera brought him to the Mandaue City District Hospital for treatment.

Charges of direct assault and physical injuries were filed before Mandaue City Prosecutors Office yesterday afternoon against the four suspects.   (FREEMAN)