Gunman, 2 cohorts identified; probers ready to file charges

The gunman and his two cohorts, a man and a woman, in the murder attempt of a traffic policeman in barangay Labangon last June 27 have been identified and would be arrested soon, authorities said yesterday.

Investigators added that the filing of charges against these suspects is almost ready except for the signing of the affidavits of three witnesses that provided the description and other information on the incident.

Investigators have been convinced that the motive of the shooting of PO3 Allan Magalso was related to his work as a traffic policeman and witnesses said they saw the face of the gunman who was not alone at the time.

Inspector Erlando Metante, officer-in-charge of City Police homicide section, said that after the shooting, witnesses saw the escaping gunman remove his hood, apparently oblivious that somebody might catch a glimpse of his face.

Aside from the lone gunman there were two others who had guns also and were believed to be backups that made their own escape toward N. Bacalso Avenue, said the witnesses.

City Police acting director, Supt. Melvin Gayotin, said the backups might have been tasked to finish off Magalso had the wounded policeman not been able to fire back at the fleeing gunman.

Investigators theorized that the assailant's murder plot was somehow distracted when Magalso, on his way home, stopped at Katipunan Street to apprehend two traffic violators instead.

Without the hitch, the attack on Magalso might have been carried out near his house in Labangon, said investigators considering the information from his relatives that there were unidentified people who had been inquiring earlier about the time he comes home from work.

"Mangutana lagi kuno didto sa ila kung unsa gyud orasa siya (Magalso) magpaulian, unya magmotor man daw ning mga tawhana, ang iyang misis ang misulti niya," Homicide Investigator SPO1 Jay Yballe said.

These inquiring people started to come, one after the other, after the traffic incident when Magalso blocked with his motorcycle a Mandaue City-bound jeepney that tried to escape apprehension for entering a prohibited street in Cebu City.

Even Magalso's wife noticed that, after the traffic incident, he suddenly changed his practice of keeping his gun in his cabinet and for days kept his gun under the pillow.

Magalso, who was hurt from that traffic commotion, told his superiors that he overheard one of the drivers' warned: "Makabawos ra gyud ko nimo." A week after, Magalso was shot. - Edwin Ian Melecio