Cop hides suspect

CEBU, Philippines - A police officer is allegedly involved in the shooting to death of a 62-year-old elderly man in Antipolo, Medellin last Friday evening.

PO2 Edwin Tumangan, 38, drove the motorcycle with suspect, Ben Anthony Montero, 26, after shooting the victim, Linley Saplad, to death.

Saplad was reportedly having a conversation with his cousin, Bebie Saplad, along the road when he was shot several times by Montero.

Police revealed in the investigation that Montero just walked towards the victim and shot him without any word.

Montero reportedly ran towards the motorcycle found to have an expired registration driven by Tumangan, who was assigned at the Maritime Group Headquarters of the Regional Maritime Unit (RMU)-7 in Lapu-Lapu City.

Police led by Chief Insp. Fructuoso Lim, Medellin police chief, immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation in Sitio Santa Cruz of the same barangay where the suspects headed.

Suspects reportedly hid from their relatives' house as police tried to convince them to surrender.

Police were able to enter the house when municipal Mayor Ricardo Ramirez appealed to the relatives.

The suspects were arrested and recovered from them was the motorcycle, a PNP issued 9mm pistol with magazine loaded with bullets, a cellular phone, identification cards of the PNP and of the Land and Transportation Office (LTO) as deputized agent.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director, Sr. Supt. Noel Gillamac, told The FREEMAN that suspects were cousins and that Tumangan possibly wanted to help Montero revenge over personal grudge.

Gillamac said they will be filing a murder case against the suspects today.

RMU is under the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 operationally but administratively, it will be the Camp Crame who will sanction Tumangan.

In Toledo City, a tricycle driver was shot dead by two men on board a motorcycle while heading home in Barangay Sangi around 7:00p.m. Friday.

Adolfo Jaranilla, of Barangay Carmen, was driving his tricycle when assailants appeared and shot him twice in the head which caused his death.

His wife, Segundina, tried to rush Adolfo to the Toledo City Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Suspect sped off towards Barangay Dumlog.

Police only recovered four empty shells of .45 pistol from the crime scene. (FREEMAN)