Cops almost killed an innocent civilian

**leoric11** · March 9th, 2006 01:36 PM

Cops hit wrong target

First posted 00:36am (Mla time) Mar 09, 2006
By Edson C. Tandoc Jr., Luige A. del Puerto
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on Page A17 of the March 9, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

SEVEN Traffic Management Group (TMG) operatives were relieved yesterday, hours after they fired at a car driven by the vice president of a pharmaceutical firm in what the police said was a case of mistaken identity.

Randolf Clarito, 46, sustained gunshot wounds in his leg and shoulder after police fired at his silver Toyota Vios in Pasig City a few minutes after midnight yesterday.

“It was a miracle I survived. They were determined to kill whoever was inside the car,” he said in radio interviews.

TMG Chief Supt. Augusto Angcanan identified the operatives as SPO2 Jaime de Guzman, SPO1 Joseph Martin, PO3 Jerry Atancio, PO2 Raxciel Naprato, PO2 Reynaldo Pedagrosa, PO2 Marcelino Dacoylo and PO1 Arthur Olosan.

“This is really a very unfortunate incident. The ones that conducted the road block have been disarmed, and their firearms subjected to a ballistic exam,” said Senior Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr., Philippine National Police spokesperson. Police said the TMG operatives were running after fleeing suspected car thieves. The chase, which began in Quezon City Tuesday night, reached Lanuza Street in Barangay Ugong, Pasig City,
shortly after midnight yesterday.

Clarito, who was on his way home to Barangay Pinagbuhatan, was passing by the street at about the same time when the TMG operatives fired on his car. “They started to fire indiscriminately. They did not even flag me down,” he told radio station dzBB.

Clarito said the shots were all concentrated on his side, shattering the window and hurling glass shards all over him. He said he continued to drive, keeping his head bowed. To his surprise, the armed men no longer followed him. Clarito stopped at a gasoline station and saw his headboard “had three bullets.” Wounded and his tires running flat, he managed to drive to the Rizal Medical Center for treatment.

The TMG operatives, it later turned out, were after a group of car thieves onboard a silver Toyota Altis. Police later found the Altis which had been abandoned on Lanuza Street near corner C5.

The car thieves, it turned out, had commandeered a Mitsubishi Galant driven by Brian Raymundo to elude the police.

Raymundo said the suspects left him with his car when they reached Leveriza Street in Pasay City, near De La Salle University.

*** Thank goodness di namatay yong napagkamalan, if ever kasi, (malamang paranoid lang ako) sasabihin na ng police na kasabwat siya ng mga carnappers.