Lucena PNP chief sacked over PDI man shooting

The police chief of Lucena City was relieved Thursday following the shooting on a Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent earlier in the day in Iba Dupay village. In a statement, the Philippine National Police Task Force USIG said Police Regional Office 4 director Chief Superintendent Nicasio Radovan Jr ordered the relief of Superintendent Nelson Lequin for the latter's apparent failure to strictly implement the "no plate, no travel" policy in his area of responsibility. This, after it was learned that the two suspects in the shooting of Delfin Mallari, a provincial correspondent of PDI, were on board a red Yamaha RS100 motorcycle with no license plates. Designated as Lucena police officer-in-charge pending investigation of Lequin was Superintendent Marcos Badilla. Task Force USIG chief Director Geary Barias said provincial units have started coordinating efforts with other police offices in the investigation of the incident. Barias said a composite illustrator from the Regional Special Operations Group under Superintendent James Brillantes has produced an artist's sketch of the gunmen based on descriptions provided by witnesses. Mallari was driving his car, with DZMM correspondent Johnny Glorioso in the passenger seat, along Maharlika Highway in front of the Lupata Water District in Barangay Iba Dupay, Lucena City at 7:30 am when the gunmen fired several shots hitting Mallari in the left side of the body. Glorioso was unhurt. Mallari, 52, was brought to a nearby hospital where he has been declared in stable condition. He and Glorioso where on their way to a radio station for their regular morning radio program when the incident happened, police reports said. Meanwhile, Barias disclosed that substantial leads have been developed in the investigation of the murder of Radyo ng Bayan reporter Carmelo Palacios whose body was found by the roadside in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija yesterday. In both the Quezon and Nueva Ecija incidents, Barias said "it is too early to make conclusions on the possible motives, but we are confident that we will reach a breakthrough in the investigation. " - GMANews.TV