Cops zoom in on “inside job” angle

CEBU, Philippines — The police are focusing on the ‘inside job’ angle on the shooting and robbery incident resulting to death of an alleged former policeman in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City last Tuesday.

Cebu City Police Office Director Gemma Vinluan said there is a huge possibility that the incident is an ‘inside job’ considering that there are no CCTV cameras installed to identify the remaining suspects at large.

“Sa lugar ng pinagyarihan walang CCTV na walang makakapagsabing ito yon ang itsura ng suspect na bumaril maliban doon sa sinabi ng witnesses,” she said.

Vinluan as well included in their investigation that the suspects might have known that there is no CCTV camera in the area.

“May nakuha kaming cellphone na kausap nung pulis na namatay, titignan natin yung authenticity ng transaction at pwedeng mag-lead kung sino ang nagbigay ng information na itong security guard ay may dalang kalahating milyon, imposible na by chance itong security guard ay at na-holdap,” Vinluan said.

Last Tuesday, a head guard of a subdivision was robbed by a riding in tandem. One of them was an alleged policeman who went AWOL.  He was shot dead while the other suspect was wounded but was able to flee.

“Base  dun sa mga witnesses na nakakita doon sa pangyayari, itong suspect may kasama sya na riding in tandem, sa isang motorsiklo nakasakay silang dalawa, at nakakuha sila ng information na itong security guard na may dalang kalahating million pangbayad sa sweldo ay hinoldap nila, nabaril pa nila yung security guard sa likod,” Vinluan said.

However, as the two suspects tried to escape, an identified person appeared and fired at them.

“Ang nakakapagtaka doon sa naging scenario na iyon, nung paalis na ang dalawang suspek na riding in tandem, may bumaril sa kanilang dalawa,” Vinluan added.

The police were now checking the authenticity of the ID which indicated that the dead suspect was a former policeman who went AWOL since 2016.

A similar incident was recorded last August 5 in Mandaue City, Cebu where a riding in tandem robbed and shot a person who was bringing P800,000 payroll money of a car trading establishment.

Mandaue City Police Office Director Jonathan Abella revealed that the execution in robbery in Barangay Tisa was the same as that of the Mandaue incident.

“Pare-pareha man ilang style.  Possible ana naay kaila sulod sa ilang gitrabahoan,” Abella said.

However, Abella and the investigators are yet to determine if the two similar incidents have the same suspects.

Vinluan emphasized the importance of installing the CCTV cameras in any establishment. (FREEMAN)