Shooting in Quiapo

Some 1,000 angry residents of the Muslim Center in Quiapo, Manila, besieged the headquarters of the Western Police District yesterday afternoon in protest over the alleged "rubout" operation conducted by five Manila policemen inside the Muslim Center the other night.

The protesters even carried the blanket-covered body of 18-year-old Andal Mastura, a student of the Ramon Avancena High School, who was allegedly hit by stray bullets allegedly fired by the policemen.

"We are here to protest the injustice we suffered at the hands of the police. They (police) enter our barangays and conduct operations without proper coordination with us," said Gaffur Dilinogun, acting barangay chairman of Barangay 648 inside the Muslim Center.

According to a police report, at about 7:30 p.m. last Thursday, the alleged shooting incident happened at Barangay 645 and involved five policemen of the Palanca Police Community Precinct.

Initial police investigation said that the policemen identified as SPO1 Angelito Pelia, POs3 Federico Chua, Artemio Bautista, Alvin Sente and PO1 Nelson dela Peña were conducting a routine patrol inside the Muslim Center at about 7:15 p.m. when they spotted Ramil Magomon, 28, along with three unidentified men.

Reports said the policemen accosted Magomon when they spotted a caliber .38 revolver tucked in his waist. According to police reports, the patrolling policemen introduced themselves and approached Magomon.

As the policemen were frisking Magomon, his three other companions allegedly ran and fired at the officers from different directions, hitting Chua.

Police reports added that while the alleged shooting was going on, Magomon was able to free himself from Pelia and pulled out a handgun, which he allegedly pointed at the arresting officers.

Sensing that their lives were in imminent danger, the report said, the officers were "constrained to shoot" Magomon who died on the spot. A bystander, identified as Hausa Salilaguia, 19, also of Barangay 645, was also wounded in the shooting, police said.

But according to Dilinogun, the police officers involved were not in uniform when they entered the barangay and arrested Magomon. Dilinogun also claimed that Magomon was already seated when he was allegedly shot at close range by Chua.

The protesting residents also claimed that an Imam (Muslim priest) identified as Bassit Maragit and a seven-year-old boy, Alnur Usop, were also wounded in the alleged "rubout."

Meanwhile, WPD Director Senior Superintendent Nicolas Pasinos, ordered the immediate disarming of the five police officers and had them placed under the custody of Sta. Mesa Police Precinct commander Superintendent Frumento Villareal.

Pasinos also ordered a combined investigation of the incident by Senior Superintendent Miguel Laurel, chief of the WPD-District Investigation and Intelligence Division and Chief Inspector Juanito Taluban, chief of the WPD-Homicide Division.