Muntinlupa cop chief sacked over mall shooting, bank explosion

The head of the Muntinlupa City police was relieved from his post Friday, following a shooting at a shopping complex in Alabang and an explosion at a nearby bank that killed at least one person and wounded at least seven people.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome ordered the relief of Senior Superintendent Ramilo Bausa following the incidents in his area of responsibility.

“He will be investigated for possible lapses relative to (the incident),” Cerbo said, noting one was killed and two were wounded in the shooting incident.

Cerbo said Southern Police District chief of staff Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa will be the OIC in Muntinlupa City, and will serve concurrently.

He added Bartolome also ordered all unit commanders in Metro Manila to institute the “highest level of preparedness and alertness” to “preempt the occurrence of similar incidents in their respective areas of responsibility.”

ATC shootout

Earlier Friday, one was killed and two wounded at the Alabang Town Center after security guards engaged the suspected robbers in a shootout after noticing the men acting suspiciously, radio dzBB’s Sam Nielsen reported.

One of the suspected robbers, initially identified as Pepito Baler, was declared dead on arrival at the Alabang Medical Center.

Two security guards identified as Lope Bacomo and Alexander Tablada were injured but were in stable condition as of Friday afternoon, the report added.

Police theorized the suspects may have planned to rob an armored van that was scheduled to arrive at the mall.

Bausa, before he was relieved of his post in the afternoon, said his men secured the area, where no one was allowed to enter the mall.

He said initial information reaching him indicated the mall’s guards became suspicious of the men and accosted them, triggering the shootout.

“In-engage nila, pinutukan sila, pinutukan ng guardiya (The men engaged the guards and fired at them, and the guards fired back),” he said.

Recovered from the area were a cal-.45 pistol and a hand grenade, he said.

5 hurt in bank explosion

A separate report by dzBB’s Sam Nielsen said at least five people were injured in an explosion near the Sterling Bank of Asia, which was near the Alabang Town Center.

The report said the glass panel at the bank building was damaged.

It cited initial reports indicating the injured included the OIC manager, two staff, one client, and one security guard. They were rushed to the Asian Hospital.

Police said it was possible the explosion was a diversionary tactic to divide their attention. — RSJ, GMA News