Slain parlor robber an agent of ISAFP?

The police are now digging into the background of the man who was shot dead while trying to rob a beauty salon in sitio Tigbao, barangay Talamban, the other night.

According to ID cards recovered from him, the fatality was identified as Rico Lumantas, 57, of Clarian, Zamboanga City.

One of the IDs was issued by Military Intelligence Group-9 of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Police also found a list of fellow Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit members in Zamboanga and a memorandum receipt for a .45 cal. pistol.

The CCPO have yet to verify if his membership in the ISAFP is legitimate.

The suspect, together with two other men, robbed Jonas Borces Beauty Studio in the said place the other night where PO2 Antonio Din of the Mobile Patrol Group was waiting for a haircut.

Din told reporters that after his duty ended that day he went to have a haircut but there were other customers before him prompting him to wait.

Moments later he saw two men enter, one of them proceeded further in while the other stood near the glass door, to his surprise the one further in pulled out a gun and announced hold-up and ordered them all to drop to the ground.

He said that he tried to unholster his gun but Lumantas saw him and started shooting him from only two meters away, luckily, the suspect missed, giving Din time to take cover behind on the sofa and fire back.

Din, who was grazed in the left wrist, back and right big toe, shot the suspect in the head and body. The suspect was later found to be armed with a high-capacity .45 cal. pistol that can hold 16 bullets.

As Din reloaded another magazine, the other robber fired at him but missed and escaped by breaking through the glass door. Witnesses said he sustained a cut in the neck.

Din tried to chase the robber and saw Chief Insp. Rex Derilo of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group who happened to pass by on board his vehicle and asked for help, but the fleeing robber got on a motorcycle and got away.

He escaped with a Nokia N71 cellphone and two wallets belonging to customers Oscar Layasan, 34, of Basak, Lapu-Lapu City and Fiona Jago, 23, of sitio Binaliw III in Talamban.

When Din went to the office of city police director Patrocinio Comendador yesterday he told reporters that it was his first shootout since he joined the PNP in 1997.

For his bravery, Comendador said he will be recommending Din for an award and a spot promotion one rank higher.

"Wala na ta mag-expect ana kay trabaho man ning ato, kung tagaan man ko og commendation ang ako rang mga labaw maoy mag-igo ana pero dako sad akong pasalamat ana," Din said in response.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday said he will give P50,000 to Din as well as 10 more vehicles to the mountain barangays.

The mayor has a practice of rewarding policemen he finds active in solving crimes and encouraged other policemen to follow his example. - Edwin Ian Melecio and Wenna A. Berondo