Suspect in Parañaque precinct chief’s slay surrenders

MANILA, Philippines - A self-confessed drug courier gave himself up Sunday night, hours after being tagged in the killing of a police officer during a convenience store robbery in Parañaque City.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Jose Carumba presented Joel Beturuan to Mayor Edwin Olivarez yesterday after he underwent inquest proceedings for the death of Chief Inspector Nelson Pagaduan, police community precinct commander.

Pagaduan was inspecting a checkpoint before dawn Sunday when a security guard called his attention about the presence of armed men in a convenience store nearby.

Pagaduan left his colleagues to check the guard’s report. He ended up confronting one of the armed men, later identified as Freddie Palacay, who drew a gun.

The lawman and Palacay grappled for the gun. A security guard shot Palacay while another armed man, who was outside the store, shot Pagaduan in the neck before fleeing.

Carumba said police officers who later responded to the scene recovered Palacay’s sling bag, which contained money and shabu.

The third armed man, Danny Gomez, was arrested on Sunday afternoon during a followup operation.

Two unidentified assailants, however, shot him twice in the head as he was outside a hospital waiting to undergo a medical exam prior to being put in jail. He died in the hospital.

Olivarez vowed to provide financial assistance to Pagaduan’s family.