BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – Authorities are now extra precautionary measures in the ports of Batangas and Mindoro after a man wanted for murder and rape shot dead a policeman and a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officer on board a ship last Tuesday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent Rosauro Acio, Batangas police director, said he has instructed his men to conduct extensive checking of baggage and personal belongings of passengers in the Batangas port following the incident.
Slain were PO2 Sherwin Reyes of the Regional Public Safety Battalion and PCG Petty Officer 2 Romeo Bulaklak.
Acio said Reyes, who was on leave, was on board M/V Falcon en route to Batangas City from Puerto Galera, when he recognized murder and rape suspect Manny Datingaling among the passengers.
Reyes, according to Acio, kept his distance from Datingaling and a companion but continued contacting authorities at the Batangas port for their arrest once the vessel docked there.
With Bulaklak’s help, Reyes collared the two and decided to take the next boat bound for Puerto Galera with Datingaling and his companion, who yielded two .38-caliber revolvers, in handcuffs.
While sailing, one of the two suspects, a passenger told police probers, asked that the handcuffs be loosened. While Reyes was doing so, Datingaling grabbed the chance to take out another gun he had kept on his back and shot the policeman and Bulaklak in the head.
The two suspects then commandeered the boat and forced the captain to bring them back to Batangas City. They disembarked at Leah Beach in Barangay Tabangao and fled, Acio said.