SWAT man kills Army sergeant

For allegedly refusing to surrender his handgun, an Army sergeant was shot dead with the same weapon which was grabbed from him by a member of the Pasig City police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) at the height of a heated argument over a simple traffic violation Saturday.

The victim, M/Sgt. Felix Silvosa, of the Philppine Army and resident of Southside Crusader street in Palar Village, Makati City sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the body. He died while being taken to the Rizal Medical Center.

The suspects, PO2 Jed Sapon, of the Pasig City police SWAT team and his companion PO2 Jovito Gonzales surrendered to their superior officer Superintendent John Sosito, the city’s police chief.

Sosito disarmed Sapon and Gonzales. The erring cops service firearms and that of Silvosa were brought to the crime laboratory of the Eastern Police District (EPD) for ballistic and paraffin examinations.

Silvosa and his family were on their way home after an outing in Rizal province when one of their vehicles was flagged down by traffic enforcer Artemio Gutierrez, of the city’s public order and safety office along C. Raymundo Avenue, in Barangay Caniogan at about 8:30 p.m.

While Gutierrez was demanding documents from Silvosa’s son who was driving a passenger jeepney, Silvosa, who was closely following behind on a motorcycle, tried to intervene.

Upon noticing something bulging in Silvosa’s waist, Gutierrez called for help and the two SWAT members appeared from nowhere.

The victim’s family claimed the two SWAT members accosted Silvosa and without a word Sapon grabbed his caliber .45 automatic pistol and opened fire at him at close range.

But Sapon and Gonzales claimed Silvosa opened fire at them first while they were trying to disarm him. Luckily, Silvosa’s bullets failed to find its mark. They only returned his fire, they said.

Other responding SWAT members brought Silvosa to the hospital. Sosito said they are readying homicide charges against Sapon and Gonzales, who are presently under his custody. Gutierrez is also set to testify for the two policemen, who are documenting their defense of the charges against them.