Slain cop victim of botched carjack try

MANILA, Philippines - A police officer who was waylaid and killed in front of his apartment in Caloocan City last week was a victim of a botched carjacking attempt by a notorious organized crime group.

Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, Caloocan City police chief, said the motive in the ambush-slay of SPO1 Julio Lobrin, 35, formerly with the city police anti-narcotics unit, was “carnapping.” “From all indications, the motive of the incident was to forcibly take the brand new motor vehicle of Lobrin,” Santos said.

Lobrin was about to alight from his red Honda Civic (ZPJ-185) in front of his apartment at 468 EDSA in Caloocan City at around 1 a.m. on July 16 when shot by a lone gunman. The cop was able to fire back at the suspect, Wilson Torres, 38. Lobrin and Torres both died from their bullet wounds.

Santos said that Torres’ two other companions failed to get the cop’s vehicle and fled on board a gray Nissan X-Trail (XRG-981).

Santos said that Torres, a resident of Baliuag, Bulacan, is a member of the dreaded Dominguez crime group, a gun for hire and car theft gang.

Santos also said the Dominguez group’s base of operations are in Bulacan and Pampanga. They operate in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and are considered “armed and dangerous,” he said.

Police earlier claimed that another suspect shot Torres dead after he killed Lobrin and took his handgun before fleeing on board a Nissan X-trail getaway vehicle. But Santos said “intensive investigation” showed it was Lobrin who killed Torres and Torres’ gun was taken by bystanders.

He said they were also able to establish that the plate number of the suspects’ Nissan X-Trail was dubious.

The license plate (XRG-981) was issued to a Suzuki multi-cab owned by a Marikina City resident and not for a Nissan X-Trail, which the police earlier said was registered to a certain lawyer Joselito H. Tiglao of Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Santos said they were also able to determine that the reported owner of the getaway vehicle is fictitious. – Pete Laude