MANILA, Philippines – State prosecutors have found probable cause to recommend to the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 139 the filing of attempted murder and physical injuries charges against Joselito Au, the co-accused of Ryan Joseph Jaworski over an alleged shootout with the police.
In a resolution he submitted on Wednesday, September 23, but was made available to the media on Thursday, Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Gaudencio Tolledo Jr found probable cause to recommend to the court that Au be charged with 4 counts of attempted murder and two counts of physical injuries.
Jaworski – son of hardcourt icon Robert Jaworski – and Au are facing charges of attempted murder, direct assault upon an agent of person in authority, and illegal possession of firearms.
They allegedly figured in a firearm buy-bust operation that turned into a shootout with members of the Regional Police Intelligence Operation Unit (RPIOU) of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) past 1 am on Saturday, September 19.
Shootout
Jaworski, Au, and Ferdinand Parago, were on their way to Chino Roces Avenue corner Pasay Road in Makati, where they were supposed to meet a potential gun buyer – an undercover police agent.
Jaworski has been suspected of involvement in gunrunning activities.
The resolution said that RPIOU members noticed that the vehicle of Jaworski’s group was moving along Chino Roces Avenue towards Arnaiz Street. The RPIOU teams then followed them two vehicles.
Soon after, the group of Jaworski apparently “sensed something wrong” and started to leave the area. The police vehicles blocked the group's car in front and at the back.
To escape, Au drove the car in reverse and hit the Nissan Urvan that was carrying Police Inspector Joy Opalec and Senior Police Officer 1 Dennis Venus.
Shots were then allegedly fired from the vehicle of Jaworski's group, at the police's Nissan Sentra before the suspects were able to escape.
“Evidently, the act of Au in moving his driven vehicle in reverse and deliberately hiting the Nissan Urvan vehicle where operatives P/Insp Opalec and SPO1 Venus have just alighted resulting to injuries upon their persons clearly constitute the offense of slight physical injuries,” said the resolution.
Shotgun, vehicle owner
The document added that the direct assault charge against Au is “doubtful” because there is an absence of evidence proving that Jaworski’s group knew they were dealing with the police during the incident.
Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Tolledo recommended that a preliminary investigation be conducted to determine who among Jaworski, Au, and Parago owns the shotgun found by the police in the compartment of their vehicle.
Jaworksi and Au were arrested at the Makati Medical Center, where Jaworski sought treatment for a gunshot wound on his thigh.
There is an ongoing manhunt for Parago.
Au is currently detained at the Makati city jail. In an interview on GMA News’ State of the Nation, he denied involvement in gunrunning activities. He said he only drove the vehicle, whose owner the police is still determining as of posting time.
Jaworski, meanwhile, filed a motion to dismiss all 3 of his criminal charges and also counter-sued the police complainants. – Rappler.com