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Friday, December 01, 2006
Cop killed, 6 wounded in gun attack, grenade blast in police camp
MANILA -- A police officer was killed while six others, including a police general, were wounded in a shooting spree and grenade explosion inside the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame on Wednesday night.
As a result of the incident, PNP Chief Oscar Calderon said murder and multiple frustrated murder charges will be filed against the suspect, Chief Inspector Renato Poscablo, who was also among the wounded.
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The PNP Base Police Office identified the fatality as Senior Inspector Winnie Temprosa, aide-de-camp of Chief Superintendent Federico Damatac, head of the PNP Health Service who was among those wounded in the incident.
Also wounded aside from Poscablo were Senior Superintendent Cynthia Bughao, Superintendent Patricia Manalo, Superintendent Maria Angela Manan Vidal and waiter Jason Cristobal.
The incident occurred at around 11:30 p.m. at the Multipurpose Hall of Camp Crame where Damatac was leading the 13th foundation anniversary of the PNP Health Service and induction of officers of the PNP Medical Society.
Poscablo, who is also assigned with the PNP Health Service, walked into the multi-purpose hall wearing general office attire and without any provocation shot Damatac.
PNP spokesman Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said Poscablo bore a grudge against Damatac who initiated an investigation against the suspect. Damatac is reportedly planning to demote Poscable for the infraction.
Officials said Temprosa later parried the arm of the suspect, who in turn opened fire at the officer.
"When the suspect tried to flee, he slipped and fell on his knees, which caused him to release the hand grenade from his left arm with the safety pin already removed," the PNP Base Police said.
"PSI (police senior inspector) Temprosa, bleeding and weakened from gunshot wounds and without any regard for his own safety, covered the hand grenade with his own body which minimized the impact of the explosion and injury to the victims," the base police added.
The grenade explosion resulted in injuries to Bughao, Manalo, Vidal, and Cristobal, a waiter of the Martina Paula Catering Services, which was hired by the PNP Health Services to provide food during the celebration.
The base police said Police Officer 2 Francisco Castro, the detailed covert security for the occasion, shot the suspect twice to maim him.
"When the assailant fell down, some of the participants in the occasion ganged up on him and aided Police Officer 2 Castro in arresting him," the report added.
The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the PNP Crime Laboratory Services responded at the scene and conducted an investigation.
Damatac and Vidal are confined at the St. Luke' Medical Center in Quezon City while Bughao, Manalo, Vidal, Cristobal and Poscable were taken to the PNP General Hospital also inside Camp Crame.
Calderon assured that the other victims of the shooting are being attended to. He cited the heroic deed of Temprosa in preventing more casualties when he used his own body as a buffer to protect other medical officers from the impact of the grenade explosion. He died on the spot.
Calderon said Temprosa will be given a posthumous promotion to the rank of chief inspector and will be accorded full funeral honors.
Meanwhile, Pagdilao said investigators are gathering more evidence to establish Poscablo's motive in shooting his superior officers.
Poscablo is undergoing schooling at the Philippine Public Safety College. He was last assigned to the Police Regional Office Calabarzon (Calamba, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).
PNP records showed that he was reverted to the rank of chief inspector when his promotion to superintendent was nullified due to pending administrative cases. (VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (December 1, 2006 issue)
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