CAMP Macabulos, Tarlac City -- Authorities filed frustrated murder charges against four suspects who almost took the life of a policeman during an encounter in Bgy. Dumarais, La Paz, Tarlac, recently.

Tarlac police director Senior Supt. Alfred Corpus identified the suspects as Mark Muan, 27, single, farmer; Arjay Concepcion, a.k.a. Pipoy, and two John Does, all of Bgy. Dumarais. The victim was identified as PO3 Rodel Laxamana of La Paz Police Station.

In a report, about  10:15 a.m. on February 7, the Police Community Precinct 10 in Bgy. San Manuel, this city, informed La Paz Police Station that an armed encounter occurred in the said barangay and that a vehicle was abandoned in the area.

Laxamana proceeded to the place and confronted the three suspects who were attaching something to the sidecar of a Honda TMX motorcycle (HQ 3752) when one of the suspects suddenly drew a short firearm and shot him.

He, however, managed to   return fire, triggering an exchange of gunfire.

Laxamana sustained three gunshot wounds in different parts of the body and was rushed to the Jecson Medical Center by a certain Rolando Atcheles, of Bgy. Siera, La Paz, who happened to be passing by.

The suspects fled on foot towards the sugarcane plantation, leaving the “carnapped” vehicle.

Recovered at the crime scene were four empty cartridges for an unknown firearm, three deformed slugs, two black inside holsters, two units of broken cellphones and the motorized tricycle.

The case was filed before the office of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.