Police identify jail officer's killer

CEBU, Philippines - The Liloan police have already identified one of the two suspects responsible for the death of Senior Jail Officer 1 Leo Labata who was shot by motorcycle-riding men in Poblacion, Lilo-an town last Monday afternoon.

Chief Insp. Richard Oliver of the Lilo-an police said they are just waiting for the opportunity to arrest the suspect.

Oliver said they have accomplished about 80 percent of the case but he refused to divulge the sketch of the suspect who is now under surveillance.

Through the cooperation of three witnesses, Oliver said they were able to come up with the sketch

“If we arrest him mas dali na ang pag-identify ug pagdakop sa driver sa getaway vehicle,” Oliver said. (If we arrest him, it would be easier to identify and arrest the driver of the getaway vehicle.)

He added that the witnesses’ served as their strong evidence in the case.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said that the suspect has been involved in several shooting incidents.

“We are strengthening follow up operations to arrest the suspect as well as to identify the driver,” Comendador said.

Labata was a few meters from his house when he was shot dead by two men riding in pillion last Monday afternoon in Barangay Poblacion.

 The suspects were believed to have followed Labata who fetched his son from school.

 He was fatally shot in different parts of his body and declared dead at the Eversley Child Sanitarium in Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City.

One empty shell and five live ammunition from a caliber .45 pistol was recovered and was believed to have been used by the gunman.

Liloan police are closely coordinating with the Cebu City Jail where Labata was assigned.

Oliver said they will be conducting further background checks on the suspect who was a former inmate of the Cebu City Jail.

They will also check if he has pending warrant of arrest.  (FREEMAN)