By Teofilo Garcia, Jr. | Philippine News Agency
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) has launched a manhunt operation to arrest two suspects who shot and wounded a policeman in this southern port city over the weekend.
Col. Rexmel Reyes, ZCPO director, said in a statement on Monday (Dec. 13) that one of the subjects of the manhunt operation was identified as Ian Rodriguez while the other one remains unidentified.
Reyes identified the wounded policeman as Staff Sgt. Joseph Robles of the ZCPO’s Station 5, who was shot and wounded by the suspects around 4:40 p.m. Saturday in Purok 3, Barangay Lumbangan, this city.
Robles and a companion whose identity was withheld for security reasons were conducting surveillance on the conduct of illegal gambling in the area when the suspects riding tandem on a motorcycle appeared and opened fire.
He said that the suspects sped toward Barangay Lunzuran, while Robles, who sustained two gunshot wounds, was rushed to a local hospital.
“The victim is currently in the hospital in stable condition,” Reyes added.
He said that the Scene of the Crime Operatives recovered from the crime scene five empty shells and a slug of caliber .45 pistol. (PNA) – bny
