QC cops set up by ‘Waray’ gangmen; 4 hurt

Four operatives of the Central Police District were shot and seriously wounded yesterday afternoon in Payatas, Quezon City during a set-up perpetrated by alleged members of the "Waray-Waray Gang."

The victims, who are now in critical condition at the East Avenue Medical Center, were identified as Police Inspector Jacinto Basilio, 52, SPO4 Loreto Basilio, SPO1 Miguel Gayaguy, 43, and PO1 Oliver Victoria, 56.

All sustained bullet wounds in the head and body. Sources said that suspected Waray-Waray Gang members tricked the res-ponding policemen into believing that there was a shooting incident going on.

Initial investigations showed that the set-up occured at about 1:20 p.m. along Atis Street corner Kaimito St., Barangay Payatas B where the victims arrived after they received reports of a gunfight in the area.

The police officers were aboard an owner-type jeep (UPE-279) and were about to conduct an investigation when the gang members, who had been waiting for them, suddenly opened fire, using their homemade shotguns.

The policemen were hit in different parts of the body but they were able to retaliate, forcing the still unidentified suspects to retreat and escape. Sources added that one of the gunmen was injured in the shootout.

Investigators said that the gang members "might have had an old grudge against the policemen" and that "they wanted to wipe them all out."

"The suspects carried out the set-up by duping the cops into thinking that a shooting incident between them and another rival gang had transpired," the source said.

Meanwhile, at least 300 families were left homeless after a two-hour fire struck a squatters’ area yesterday afternoon in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Quezon City.

Although no deaths or injuries were reported, about 75 shanties were burned to the ground – leaving hundreds of people panicking and scampering to safety. The fire reached Task Force Bravo.

Authorities said that they have yet to find out what caused the fire, but said that the blaze started from the house of a certain Gina Gregorio, a resident of 787 Quezon Avenue, Barangay Sta. Cruz.

Investigators said that the fire began at about 12:15 p.m. Strong winds spread the flames to nearby shanties and before long, the whole lot of the squatters’ community was engulfed, firemen said.

According to Senior Superintendent Rash Roque, acting regional director of the Bureau of Fire Protection, the timely arrival of firefighters prevented the blaze from reaching "an alarming situation."

The fire was declared "out" at around 2:16 p.m. as traffic in Quezon Avenue up to Welcome Rotonda slowed down to a crawl.

Firemen said that panic-stricken residents carried what they could of their meager belongings to safety as they "helplessly watched their houses from a distance being engulfed by the flames." – Matthew Estabillo