Quicker to the draw

A veteran policeman took a bullet in the head and died in a "gun duel" with a Chinese-Filipino trader over a petty parking incident yesterday morning in Malabon City.

Chief Inspector Napoleon Bataycan, Malabon Police Station Intelligence and Investigation Division (SIID) chief, identified the victim as SP01 Ricortes Flores, 42, assigned at the Valenzuela Police Station, and residing at 16 Industria street, Tugatog, Malabon.

Senior Inspector Filemon Porciuncula, medico-legal officer of the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO), said Flores died from a bullet that entered his left temple, lacerated his brain and imbedded itself at the top right side of his head.

Flores died in front of his six-year-old son.

Suspect Benigno Tan, 30, businessman, of 2 Commercio street, Tugatog, Malabon City and a neighbor of the victim, surrendered voluntarily to the nearby Police Community Precinct 4 and is now facing homicide charges.

Case Officer SP02 George Gubatan, Malabon police investigator, said the shooting was sparked by an argument over parking at around 1:55 a.m. in front of the suspect’s residence along Commercio street.

Police reports showed that Flores and his son were on board their Toyota Corolla sedan (PSB 460) on their way home when they passed by Tan’s residence. It happened that Tan’s Toyota 4x4 pickup truck was parked out front and was blocking the way to the cop’s house, which was behind Tan’s.

The victim then allegedly called out Tan asking him to park his car properly so he could pass. A shouting match ensued between the irate cop and Tan, who was inside his house.

Tan’s friend, Fernando Araga, 24, married, of 7 Jewels street, San Jose, Navotas, happened to be at the scene and tried to pacify the cop but was ignored.

Tan then allegedly came out of his house armed with an STI caliber .45 pistol, said to be an expensive competition handgun valued at around P100,000, and shot it out with Flores.

When the smoke cleared, Flores lay on the street bloodied. Cristina Teresita, 27, Flores’ wife, identified the victim’s body at the Valenzuela Funeral Homes.

Probers found four empty shells and several deformed slugs from a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene. Tan surrendered the alleged weapon, an STI Ithaca (serial number 47260), for ballistics examination at the SOCO.

Tan has been detained at the Malabon City police jail.