MANILA, Philippines - A rookie policeman was shot by a robbery suspect he was about to arrest in Navotas City Saturday night.
City police chief Senior Superintendent Jonathan Ablang said that Police Officer 1 Antares San Antonio, assigned at Police Community Precinct (PCP) 3, was wounded in the stomach but was already released from the hospital yesterday morning.
“Luckily, (San Antonio) only sustained a superficial wound in the stomach and is already out of the hospital,” Ablang told The STAR.
Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Montero said that at around 7:30 p.m., Jemson de la Paz, 15, a resident of Dagat-Dagatan, Navotas City, sought the help of PCP 3 policemen. De la Paz said at least four armed men robbed him of his mobile phone as he was riding a passenger jeepney on M. Naval street in Barangay Sipac Almacen.
San Antonio and his team chanced upon the suspects walking along M. Naval street but the suspects ran in different directions upon seeing the police officers.
San Antonio was able to corner one of the suspects but instead of surrendering, the man drew a .38 caliber revolver.
“Our cop also pulled his service pistol but since they were very close to each other, nobody was able to fire a shot,” Ablang said.
The two men wrestled, but before San Antonio got hold of the suspect’s revolver, he was shot in the stomach. The suspect grabbed San Antonio’s .9mm pistol and fled with it as other policemen arrived.
“The suspect has San Antonio’s pistol and my policeman also has his revolver,” Ablang said.
San Antonio was brought to the Tondo Medical Center for treatment. The Navotas City police were still conducting follow-up operation yesterday for the identification and arrest of the suspects. – Pete Laude