CPPO ASKS CIDG: Probe policeman's death in Danao City

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will tap the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) - 7 to investigate the case of SPO2 Roberto Canencia, who was shot dead after attending a hearing in Danao City, to avoid biases in the investigation.

The provincial headquarters made the request last Tuesday through Deputy Regional Director for Operation Louie Oppus.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, CPPO director, said Canencia was a personnel of the CPPO so it would not be proper for them to handle the case.

“Lain kaayo ug kami ang mangunay kay tawo man sa CPPO and to turn over the case to another unit was the most prudent thing to do,” Comendador told The FREEMAN. (It would be awkward for us to investigate our own men.)

All pieces of evidence recovered during the follow up investigation conducted by the Danao City police will be turned over to the CIDG-7. Among the evidence were footages taken from a close-circuit television camera of the establishment where Canencia was shot.

“The footages which serve as concrete evidence could provide a lot of information to solve the case,” Comendador said in a phone interview.

Canencia was shot dead in Barangay Poblacion after attending a hearing of a suspect he arrested. He was heading home when five assailants shot him several times.

Meanwhile, a murder case against Dodgie Dionaldo, 28, of Barangay Cabadiangan, Alcantara, was filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Dionaldo was accused of shooting retired SPO2 Ambrosio Pableo.

In an inquest proceeding yesterday, Dionaldo chose not to file a counter-affidavit and instead opted that the case be filed in court.

In an interview, Dionaldo denied the allegation. His father Alfredo, 68, believes that his son is a fall guy. Alfredo said that prior to the shooting incident, his son was in their house.

Alfredo added they were also in good terms with the victim who was their relative.

“We have no misunderstanding. As to the allegation of land dispute, it’s not true,” he said in Cebuano. He added that they have witnesses to prove the innocence of his son.

Dionaldo has a live-in partner and a two-year-old child.

Ambrosio was with his wife, Jocelyn, 54, heading to a parcel of land they owned in Barangay Lawaan when he was shot dead. He died from a gunshot wound in the neck, with the bullet entering the right side and exiting the other side. He was rushed to the Badian District Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. —(FREEMAN)