Monday, November 12, 2007 (Philippines)

HOT WATER. PO3 Ronolo Manolong (center) of the PNP Crime Laboratory conducts a paraffin test on PO3 Inocencio Lumayag Jr. (left) and PO1 Luther Lapinig, after both policemen emerged unhurt from a shootout at 5:45 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Pahina San Nicolas, Cebu City. The test will confirm whether the two recently fired their guns. Stray bullets wounded two civilians, one of them critically. (Sun.Star Photo/Amper Campaña) WHAT started as a spat between two groups of men ended in a shootout between two policemen in civilian outfits. One went to the area to help a brother who claimed he had been mauled, while the other was responding to a call for help. Because both policemen did not recognize one other, PO1 Luther Jutba Lapinig, 28, of the Regional Intelligence Office (RIO) 7 allegedly fired at PO3 Inocencio Lumayag Jr., a member of the miscellaneous team of the Carbon Police Station. [full story]