Off-duty NPD cop killed in Baclaran robbery

MANILA, Philippines - Robbers ganged up on and killed an off-duty police officer of the Northern Police District (NPD) who tried to rescue a couple from being robbed in Baclaran, Parañaque City Wednesday night.

Police Officer 3 Reynante Mananghaya, 36, assigned at the NPD-District Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Group (DAIDSOG), sustained multiple stab wounds in the back and died on the way to the San Juan de Dios Hospital.

“His death is very unfortunate. But to have sacrificed his life to save another against criminals makes him a true hero. We at the NPD are truly proud of him,” NPD director Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. told The STAR, as he promised “full support” to the fallen policeman’s family.

“He was off duty, out of unit and on his way home, he could have ignored the plea of the victims but chose otherwise because he was a good cop and true to his oath,” Pagdilao said.

Chief Inspector Jay Agcaoili, DAIDSOG chief, said Mananghaya, an NPD policeman for 11 years, left their office for home in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City at around 7 p.m.

“He said he would take the LRT train to reach home early, but while walking down the station in Baclaran, he chanced upon a robbery. Being a dedicated cop, he came to the victims’ rescue but instead met his untimely death,” Agcaoili said.

Agcaoili said that before intervening in the robbery, Mananghaya called the Southern Police District (SPD) radio room, which was manned by a former classmate, asking for “backup.”

Mananghaya confronted the five suspected robbers, who surrounded a couple, and introduced himself as a police officer. The armed men attacked him, forcing the policeman to shoot one of the suspects, killing him on the spot.

Instead of fleeing, the remaining suspects called for assistance from several bystanders in the area, made up mostly of Muslim vendors, Agcaoili said.

Two barangay watchmen tried to intervene but were also beaten up by the mob, which took turns stabbing Mananghaya while others held his hands, Agcaoili said.

Even a three-man team led by Senior Inspector Michael Chavez failed to immediately rescue him.

The SPD policemen were only able to pull Mananghaya from the mob when the Special Weapons and Tactics team arrived. – With Rhodina Villanueva