City cop gunned down in Carcar

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman was gunned down by two motorcycle riding men while waiting for a ride for Cebu City along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, Carcar City last Wednesday evening.

PO1 Felicisimo Unabia, 34, of said barangay, just had a short conversation with his colleagues who conducted police visibility at the area before he was gunned down.

“Pila ra gyud ka-minuto nga nakarating ang patrol sa station nang may marinig na putok ng baril,” said Supt. Ricky Delilis, Carcar City police chief.

The crime scene is only 150 meters away from the police station.

Unabia was found sprawling on the ground with gunshot wounds in the abdomen, chest and chin, with the bullet exited through his back.

He was rushed to the Carcar Provincial Hospital but he did not make it there alive.

Police arrested suspects, Marvin Binoya of Barangay Poblacion 3 and Juanito Linggatong of Agusan Del Norte, however, they are yet to determine if who among them was the driver and the spotter.

Both were reportedly identified by Eddie Unabia, older brother of the victim, based on the close-circuit television (CCTV) camera footages.

“Ang identity at built nakikilala ng kapatid ng biktima,” Delilis told The FREEMAN.

Police detained both persons at the police station pending tactical interrogation to arrest the gunman.

Unabia, assigned at the Mobile Patrol Group of the Cebu City Police Office, was supposed to work at 10:00 pm at that time. He was waiting for a bus when suspects aged 20 to 25 years old arrived.

Delilis said the man in pillion fired at Unabia twice before the driver of the motorcycle fired another shot at the victim.

Unabia tried to draw his personal .45 cal. pistol loaded with seven bullets but failed to fire after the pistol was locked.

Suspects sped off  leaving five empty shells and two slugs of .45 pistol.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director, Sr. Supt. Noel Gillamac, disclosed that they are looking into personal grudge or work related angles as initial motive of the killing.

“Ang igsuon aning biktima na-involve og patay pero walay na-file nga kaso possible revenge sa mga nabiktima ato pud tan-awon kung ang iyang pagka-pulis,” Gillamac said in a press conference.

Gillamac tasked the Provincial Investigation Detection and Management Branch to assist the Carcar City police in their investigation. They are also looking for possible witnesses while evaluating some of the evidence gathered.

According to Merlinda, victim’s wife, that she was surprised when she knew her husband was killed that night.

“Wa ko magtuo nga siya ang gipusil pero pag-adto nako siya man gyud kay wala man siya mag-merida o namilin ba kaha sa wala pa siya molakaw,” she said in an interview over TV5 Aksyon Balita.

Merlinda, however, disclosed that Unabia only informed her not to open the U-box of his motorcycle. (FREEMAN)