Town police chief killed in ambush

CEBU, Philippines - Two months after a police station chief in Bohol was shot dead by unidentified men, another police chief was killed in an ambush Saturday night.

Senior Inspector George Caña, 47, Ubay police station chief, died after he was ambushed by unidentified men in Talibon town, only 200 meters away from his house in Barangay Balintawak.

 Past 7 p.m. Saturday, the Balintawak barangay captain phoned the Talibon Police Station to report gunshots. When policemen responded to the alarm they found Caña sitting at the driver’s seat unresponsive. He had been shot several times, including in the head.

Initial investigation revealed that Caña had his dinner at the La Fortuna Chicken Lechon Eatery in Barangay San Jose, Talibon town, past 7 p.m. Saturday.

After dinner, Caña drove his vehicle heading to Ubay town when two black cars blocked his way.

Senior Inspector Eduard Sanchez, Talibon police station chief, said based on witnesses accounts the occupants of the first vehicle fired at Caña’s vehicle and it swerved, its front right tire falling into a drainage ditch.

The first car sped away, the second car stopped and the occupants and fired shots at Caña’s car, hitting Caña in the head and different parts of his body. 

He was immediately brought to Garcia Memorial Provincial Hospital in Talibon town but was declared dead on arrival.

Sanchez said in an interview that Caña had received death threats Thursday after a buy-bust operation in Ubay.

“Wa lang manumbaling siya sa death threats,” he said.

There were reports the assailants used an M-16 rifle in the ambush.

The police have yet to determine the motive of the killing and are now coordinating with Ubay PNP. However, Sanchez said Caña’s death might be related to drugs based on the death threats that he received after the buy-bust operation.

“Wa gyu’y plano nga buhi-on siya sir, siguro mga drug lord ang nagpaluyo ani,” he added.

Caña and SPO1 Noel Romagos, the police chief earlier slain, were both active anti-drug crusaders and launched campaigns against illegal drugs in their respective jurisdictions. Sources at the Bohol Provincial Police Office based at Camp Dagohoy said they could have been the target of a drug syndicate operating in Bohol.

Bohol Provincial Police Office chief Senior Superintendent Dennis Agustin said that he received numerous tips of the killing and ordered his men to verify the reports.

In a follow-up operation conducted by Bien Unido police, Provincial Special Weapons and Tactics team and Provincial Intelligence Branch, policemen went to Playa Beach Resort in Barangay San Pedro, Bien Unido, past 9 a.m. yesterday and tried to negotiate with the suspects but the suspects allegedly opened fired and this led to a shootout.

After the shootout six people lay dead, including a woman as well as a suspected drug lord Owen Rosales, a dismissed policeman holding the rank of Police Office 1 previously assigned at the Guindulman police station.

Apart from Rosales the other casualties were still unidentified as of press time.

Four people were arrested; a 17-year-old minor as well as Orlando Garcia, Paulo Avenido and Robert Olalo who claimed they were not involved in Caña’s killing but were only invited by Rosales to go to the beach resort.

Beach resort caretaker Mildred Bocor said that Rosales is a regular patron and usually goes to stay there every three months. She said around 8 a.m. yesterday Rosales checked in together with several people.

Rosales is said to supply an area within the second district of Bohol.  — With a report from correspondent Ric Obedencio/BRP (FREEMAN)