MANILA, Philippines – The family of Ryan Joseph Jaworski called as a “hulidap” the firearm buy-bust operation that allegedly turned into shootout with the police that Jaworski and two others figured in about two weeks ago.

“Ryan Jaworski was instigated to go to the meeting place in Makati where these supposed officers of the law who were in plain clothes, no IDs, in unmarked vehicles planned an extortion operation,” said the family in a statement showed to reporters by Jaworski’s lead counsel, Richard Nethercott, on Thursday, October 1.

“In reality, the buy-bust was a hulidap operation gone wrong,” said the family, using a word combining “huli (catch)” and “hold-up,” which is often associated with police corruption cases.

Jaworski, son of basketball legend and former senator Robert Jaworski Sr, is facing charges of attempted murder, direct assault upon an agent of person in authority, and illegal possession of firearms after supposedly being involved in a shootout with members of the Regional Police Intelligence Operation Unit (RPIOU) of the National Capital Region Police Office past 1 am on September 19.

Jaworski, suspected of being involved in gunrunning activities, is currently nursing a gunshot wound on his thigh at the Makati Medical Center.

The driver of his alleged getaway vehicle, Joselito Au, is facing 4 counts of attempted murder and 2 counts of physical injuries. Ferdinand Parago, their 3^rd accomplice, remains at large.

“There has been a great injustice on the persons of the respondents, especially Ryan Jaworski who was wrongfully accused, setup, publicly humialated, and shot with an armalite in the thighs, severing his right hamstring. He may not be able to walk again,” the Jaworski family said.

Nethercott has since filed a motion to dismiss Jaworski’s criminal charges as well counter-sued the police officers involved in the operation.

On Thursday, the lawyer submitted their reply to the police complainants’ opposition against their motion to dismiss at the Office of Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Gaudencio Tolledo Jr in Makati.

Tolledo gave the police complainants, led by Police Inspector Joy Opalec, until 9 am on Monday, October 5, to submit their reply. The prosecutor is set to finalize the resolution of Jaworski’s case on Monday as well.

“Ryan is a victim in this case. He is innocent of his charges and we have filed counter-charges because these complainants should be brought to justice,” said Nethercott.

“We will await the resolution of this particular complaint and we are ready to defend this case wherever this goes. We hope this will be dismissed at this level, but assuming it’s not, then we are ready to defend Ryan,” he added. – Rappler.com