Anti-drug cop killed by rifle-wielding killers at Pasig motel

Rifle-wielding assassins killed an anti-drug operative of the Southern Police District at a Pasig City motel on Thursday night.

According to Ivan Mayrina's report on "24 Oras", SPO2 Ernesto Sanchez was about to park his SUV inside the Country Lodge Motel when he was shot repeatedly.

Sanchez was killed on the spot.

"May bumaba munang dalawang tao sa loob ng Revo at may dalang M-16 rifle at shotgun. Hinold nila, dinisarmahan ang security guard ng hotel at hinold sa gilid," Pasig City police chief Senior Superintendent Orlando Yebra said.

"Itong Revo tumabi sa sasakyan ni Sanchez. Nabukas ng bintana yung passenger side. Pinutukan yung victim at yung driver ay bumaba. Pumunta sa likod at nagpaputok din," he added.

Sanchez's female companion, a 20-year-old student, was wounded in the attack but already out of danger.

The student's mother said the family didn't know she left the house. She said they didn't know the fallen policeman.

"Kakilala lang daw niya dalawang beses pa lang niya nakita. Ngayong nasa ospital na siya, tinatanong ko kung sino siya. Sabi niya may nagpakilala lang tapo nagayaya lang na kakain sa labas," the mother said.

Sanchez had been with the anti-narcotics unit for 20 years. He was also ambushed in 2014 but survived the attack.

The victim's widow said she was clueless why her husband would be killed.

"Wala po akong idea. Wala po siyang sinabi," SPO3 Josephine Sanchez said.

Yebra said investigators were looking into personal grudge as a possible motive.

"Hindi rin natin dapat balewalain baka merong love triangle, whatsoever," Yebra said. —NB, GMA News