The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Thursday reported that three individuals believed to be involved in a fatal shooting incident in Barangay Sauyo in Quezon City were immediately collared by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU).

QCPD director P/Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan identified the suspects as Ricardo Caspillo Lucas Jr., Ernie Carlin Tambaoan and Jenny Joy Roldan, the live-in partner of Tambaoan.

Reports disclosed by QCPD-CIDU chief P/Maj. Don Don Llapitan showed that the incident happened last 24 September at 10:15 p.m. when a village watchman received a telephone call from a concerned citizen reporting a violation of City Ordinance SP-2975 S-2020 along Baluyot 2A in Barangay Sauyo.

At 11:55 p.m., a team of Barangay Tanod was sent to the area and encountered the suspect Tambaoan, who approached the responding officers and began to criticize them. A heated altercation ensued.

During the commotion, one of the barangay watchmen attempted to intervene, prompting Tambaoan to be enraged and strangled the victim, while Lucas pulled out a handgun and shot the tanod in the back.

The suspects then fled the scene on a motorcycle driven by Tambaoan. Lucas fired additional shots, hitting two other barangay watchmen.

The victims were immediately rushed to Bernardino Hospital by their relatives for medical attention. Unfortunately, one of them was pronounced dead on arrival. The two other tanods were transferred and confined to East Avenue Medical Center and Quezon City General Hospital. One of them also died from gunshot wounds.

A joint follow-up operation conducted by CIDU operatives and Talipapa Police Station led to the arrest of the suspects at 10:53 a.m. the next day inside the Barskie Appartel located at Barangay Payatas.

Roldan, meantime, was also arrested for illegal possession of ammunition.

Further verification from the Crime Information, Reporting, and Analysis System (CIRAS) reveals that suspect Lucas has multiple prior cases, including a homicide on last 11 February 2020 in Lingayen, Pangasinan, another murder case in the same province, a violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act), and two counts of murder in Nueva Ecija.