MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City policeman was ambushed in Barangay Baesa Wednesday afternoon, with authorities eyeing criminals who had been the subject of past police operations in the area.
Authorities have yet to establish the identities of the three people behind the killing of Police Officer 2 Dennis Dadea, but a tip received by investigators pointed to suspected members of the Waray-Waray group, said Superintendent Lino Banaag, head of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.
The victim's superior, QCPD-Station 3 commander Superintendent Alex Sintin,said they received information about two of the suspects - a certain William and an alias JR - who are said to be known in the area, and now the subject of a manhunt.
Dadea, 35, died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds he sustained from the attack that happened at past 4 p.m. Sintin noted that Dadea had helped in past operations in the area, particularly against drug peddlers and robbers.
"It could be these same people who got back at him," Sintin said in an interview.
Sintin said Dadea was outside a house on Sitio Pajo Street, waiting for a friend, when he was ambushed.
Jovelyn Rueda, who is residing in the house outside of which was where Dadea was shot, said she heard successive gunshots. When she went out, she saw the victim's body slumped on the ground. The house owner said she recognized the victim as a regular visitor.
Banaag said other witnesses claimed the killers ganged up on Dadea, with one of them firing the shots that killed the victim.
Not contented with what they had done, the assailants even reportedly took the victim's service firearm before they left on a motorcycle.