Cop in love triangle shooting surrenders

MANILA, Philippines — A member of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) allegedly in a love triangle with a policewoman turned himself in to his superior on Saturday after he shot and wounded his supposed rival on Feb. 14.

Police Officer 1 Franklin Franco, 27, assigned with the QCPD Station 9, is facing charges of grave threat and physical injuries after he shot Arnel Calimlim, 37, in Barangay Vasra.

Franco and Calimlim are reportedly fighting over the same woman.

Franco is under the custody of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) at Camp Karingal.

He yielded his 9mm service firearm.

“We turned him over to the CIDU after he surfaced at the station,” QCPD Station 9 commander Superintendent Cipriano Galanida said in a phone interview.

Galanida said the suspect has been assigned to Station 9 for only about a month.

Initial investigation showed that Franco reportedly threatened Calimlim, partner of the policewoman whom the suspect was supposedly having an affair.

In his complaint, Calimlim said Franco called him on his cell phone and threatened to kill him.

After he heard the voice of his partner on the phone saying she was also under threat, Calimlim went to Franco’s house to confront him.

During the confrontation, Franco allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired at the victim. But the bullet ricocheted on the concrete pavement, hitting a bystander, Mia Rose Rosal, 19.

The policeman told Calimlim to leave the place or he would shoot him again. Fearing for his life, the victim left the scene and sought the help of police officers who were patrolling the area.

Franco and the policewoman were nowhere to be found when police arrived at his house.