Toughie dies, Dumpit and another cop hurt

A wanted criminal was killed while two policemen were hurt in a shoot out yesterday afternoon in Sitio Soran, barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City.

The fatality was identified as Roberto "Bito" Placer, who has a pending warrant of arrest for attempted homicide and is a known troublemaker in their place.

The wounded policemen were PO3 Joel Sanchez of the Pardo Police and controversial SPO1 Adonis Dumpit, who was among those who rushed to the scene after a request for back up was raised.

A neighbor of fatality reportedly called up the Pardo Police Station to report the presence of an armed Placer in their neighborhood, said PO3 Roberto Barro.

The team that was dispatched to sitio Soran, which is about 200 meters away from the police station, brought with them a warrant for the arrest of Placer for a case of attempted homicide.

Sensing the presence of policemen, Placer reportedly fired a shot hitting Sanchez on the left side of his chest, which forced the other policemen to fire back, hitting Placer in the process, but not fatally so he managed to elude them. As of presstime, Sanchez was still under observation at the Chong Hua Hospital.

The Pardo police then called for back up and the Mobile Patrol Group, Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, Crime Suppression Unit, SWAT, and Homicide police sent teams to the area.

The police then did a search of the heavily populated area as Placer reportedly moved from one house to another before he was eventually cornered hiding behind a mattress.

When Dumpit together with SPO1 Conrado Alega entered the house, Placer fired a shot hitting the weapon of Dumpit, a Baby Armalite. The bullet grazed Dumpit's forehead and the policeman also fell off the stairs that resulted to a sprained left ankle.

It was at this point when the other police operatives barged in and shot at Placer, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Policemen rushed Placer to the Cebu City Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.

CIIB Chief P/Supt. Paul Labra said that when he checked Placer's firearm, he noticed that all that was left on the chamber were empty shells.

Labra also said that the residents of the area were very much thankful to the police after the incident, as most of them reportedly feared Placer, who was alleged to have often terrorized his neighbors. - Flor Z.Perolina