Drug suspect slain on way to court hearing

MANILA, Philippines - A drug suspect who was being escorted by policemen for inquest proceedings at the Manila City Hall was shot dead by two armed men riding tandem on a motorcycle in Tondo, Manila Friday night.

The attack on Albert Mangila, 22, a member of the jailhouse group “Commando Gang,” occurred in full view of his police escorts – Police Officers 2 Manuel Garbin and Roberto Benitez of the Moriones, Tondo police station – at around 10:30 p.m. at the corner of Jose Abad Santos and Mayhaligue streets in Tondo, according to investigator SPO2 Edmundo Cabal.

Mangila was arrested Thursday by the Moriones police for drug possession. Scheduled for inquest proceedings at the night court at the Manila City Hall, Mangila was made to board a tricycle with Garbin seated behind the driver. Benitez followed on his motorcycle.

Two men on a motorcycle suddenly approached them, shot at Mangila, and sped away. The policemen admitted they were caught unawares. The tricycle driver and the escorts were unhurt.

The police escorts then hailed another passing tricycle and brought Mangila to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, where he was declared dead on arrival due to multiple gun shot wounds.

Garbin and Benitez were directed to submit their service firearms for ballistic examination, according to homicide section chief Inspector Armando Macaraeg.