2 cops die in mishap after shooting fellow cop

VILLASIS, Pangasinan — Two policemen were killed when a 10-wheeler truck smashed into their motorcycle after they had fired at a fellow law enforcer in Barangay Bacag here Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

Chief Inspector Jimmy Agtarap identified the two fatalities as PO1 James Lu, assigned to Camp Crame, and PO2 Ronaldo Esteban, 34, of the Basista town police.

Investigation showed that one of the two policemen, who were riding tandem on a motorcycle, fired several times at SPO1 Rufo Dalisay, of the Rosales town police, who was then driving his owner-type jeepney with two passengers.

Dalisay was hit in the right arm but still managed to drive. Seeing his attackers through the side mirror, he sideswiped their motorcycle.

With its driver losing control, the motorcycle rammed into a 10-wheeler truck coming from the opposite direction.

Lu and Esteban were killed instantly, while Dalisay was brought to the Trauma Hospital here for treatment.

The truck driver, Eddie Gramahe, 39, is in police custody.

Scene-of-the-crime operatives recovered a caliber .38 revolver, a caliber .45 pistol with seven bullets, and a caliber .45 magazine from Lu.

Police also found three empty shells and two live bullets for caliber .38, 14 empty caliber .45 shells, and two cellular phones.

Police have yet to establish the motive of Lu and Esteban in attacking Dalisay.