NEWSFLASH

ASISTIO SON IN CALOOCAN SHOOTOUT W/ANTI-DRUG COPS

Caloocan City, April 6, 2000 - A son of Caloocan Rep. Luis "Baby" Asistio was critically wounded in a shootout with policemen during an alleged drug buy-bust operation in Caloocan City early yesterday morning.

Luis "Piting" Asistio III, 32, was fighting for his life at the Chinese General Hospital in Manila until late yesterday.

He was shot in the chest in front of his apartment on Labahita street in Dagat-Dagatan. Asistio's live-in partner, Rosario Ortega, 31, who was with him during the shootout, was also wounded in the chest. She is also confined at the Chinese General Hospital.

Congressman Asistio, who is known to be a close friend of the President, confirmed in a telephone interview that he had earlier asked police officials to investigate the alleged involvement of his son Piting in some illegal activities.

"However, I did not tell them to gun down my son," he said. "It goes without saying that he should go through legal processes if he is ever arrested."

Cong. Asistio said he made the request through separate letters to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Panfilo Lacson, Metro Manila police director Superintendent Edgar Aglipay, and Caloocan City police chief Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr.

Aglipay admitted yesterday that Asistio had written him in which he was given permission to arrest any of Asistio's children who were found to be involved in illegal activities.

"He (Asistio) kept on reminding us that if ever his children will be involved in illegal activities, we should not hesitate to enforce the full force of the law," he said.

Two of the younger Asistio’s alleged bodyguards, Jail Officer 1 Ricardo Garcia, and a civilian named Ronel Rivera were arrested.

Superintendent Francisco Villaroman, chief of the Central Luzon Criminal Investigation and Detective Group Office (CIDG), said they seized from Asistio 214 grams of shabu worth P400,000, P3,000 in marked money, an unlicensed caliber .45 automatic, two tooters used to sniff shabu, and dried marijuana leaves, said

Police said the shootout broke out after Piting drew his caliber .45 firearm during the entrapment operation after discovering that he was dealing with undercover policemen.

As the transaction was going on, Piting noticed something wrong with the buyers, and he drew his caliber .45 automatic and a brief firefight ensued, he added.

Congressman Asistio said he had received numerous versions of the shootout, and declined to make any comment pending receipt of an official report from the PNP.

The PHILIPPINE STAR reports having been told by a source that no buy-bust operation had occurred prior to the shootout.

However, Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, Caloocan police intelligence chief, insisted that the shootout occurred during an entrapment operation.

Police said Piting will be charged in court with illegal possession of firearm and direct assault, while drug possession will be the charge against the other suspects.

Piting had been previously arrested for drug possession and illegal possession of firearm in Manila and Quezon City, police added.