Cop killed in Ermita

MANILA, Philippines -  A Manila policeman was shot dead yesterday by two motorcycle-riding men he accosted while he was clearing the sidewalk of vagrants in Ermita, Manila.

According to initial reports, Police Officer 1 Ryan Bagadiong arrived early for a sidewalk clearing operation along M.H. del Pilar street and started waking up vagrants sleeping on the sidewalk. He accosted two men he noticed were acting suspiciously and told them to lie on the ground.

Senior Police Officer 1 Charles Duran reported that one of the men shot Bagadiong, who managed to fire back and hit one of the men in the abdomen. Bagadiong died while undergoing an operation at the Manila Doctors Hospital.

Manila Police District deputy director for operations Senior Superintendent Robert Po told The STAR that he would recommend a posthumous promotion for Bagadiong.

“These are policemen who silently do their duties even at the expense of putting their lives in the line of fire,” he said.