Quezon province police chief relieved

March 19, 2019

The police director of Quezon province was relieved Tuesday in connection to an alleged shootout that killed the son of a town mayor.

Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza, Calabarzon regional police director, said Senior Superintendent Osmundo de Guzman was replaced by Senior Superintendent Joseph Arguelles, chief of the regional investigation and detective management division.

This came a day after De Guzman replaced Tayabas police chief  Superintendent Mark Joseph Laygo and three cops involved in the incident:  Police Officer 3 John Siman, and Police Officers 1 Perry Malabaguio and William Ricamonte.

Carranza said De Guzman's relief arose from a supposed shootout on March 14 in Tayabas involving policemen and two armed men, one of whom was identified as Christian Gayeta, son of Sariaya Mayor Marcelo Gayeta.

Gayeta's companion was Cristopher Manalo. Police claimed they had two handguns.

According to Carranza, the policemen claimed Gayeta and his companion fired at them without provocation. He would have believed this had not the police officers said they flagged down the suspects for inspection.

“I told the provincial director to look into the incident because something is not right,” he said.

Laygo has yet to report for work, Carranza said. DMS