2 killed as Mandaluyong tanods, cops mistakenly shoot at vehicle

Two people were killed and two others were wounded on Thursday night when Mandaluyong City watchmen and police officers allegedly opened fire on a vehicle they thought was a getaway car.

According to a report on GMA 7 morning news program "Unang Balita," victim Jonalyn Ambaon was attempting to intervene in an argument when she was shot and injured by an LPG delivery man in Barangay Addition Hills at 10:20 p.m.

Police report showed the victim visited his live-in partner Eliseo Aluad alias Bobot at the construction site of Mandaluyong City College located at Freedom Park, Barangay Addition Hills.

The group of Aluad and a certain Abdurakman Alfin allegedly argued about the parking space in the area. Abduraklam allegedly sought the assistance of the Bantay Bayan while his companion, Salam Abdul Majid, went home to get a firearm and then proceeded to the Freedom Park.

“After ng heated argument, na-pacify itong dalawa. Paalis na itong grupo ni Bebot nung nakarinig sila ng putok and then may tama si Jonalyn sa ulo,” National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said in a press conference later in the day.

Companions put Ambaon in a vehicle and attempted to rush the shooting victim to hospital.

However, barangay watchmen mistakenly thought that the suspect who shot Ambaon was in the vehicle and was attempting to get away.

Some of the watchmen were allegedly armed and they shot at the vehicle.

Responding police officers, having been told by the watchmen that the vehicle carried an armed suspect and seeing that the watchmen themselves had fired shots at the "target" started shooting.

Ambaon was killed in the hail of gunfire, along with companion Jomar Hayawon. Other companions Eliseo Aluad Jr. and Danilo Santiago were wounded while three others — Simeon Rimbao, Roel Distor and Mhury Jamon — were unharmed..

Ten  police officers involved in the incident are now in police custody, said National Capital Region Police Chief Director Oscar Albayalde in a separate interview on Unang Balita.

Asked if the cops involved would be relieved, Albayalde said, "Sigurado po 'yan."

Also, the two watchmen involved in the shooting incident are now in police custody.  "An investigation will be conducted on why the watchmen had firearms in the first place,"  Albayalde added.

Mandaluyong City police chief Senior Superintendent Moises Villaceran Jr. said that if the police officers were found responsible for the victims' deaths, they would likely face homicide or murder charges. — with reports from Nicole-Anne Lagrimas and Amita Legaspi/DVM/LBG/KBK, GMA News