Boljoon cops to look into Alcoy police chief’s death

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Police Provincial Officer yesterday ordered Boljoon police to dig deeper into the death of Inspector Crisanto Abella, Alcoy Police Station chief, whom a barangay councilor and former policemen shot dead Sunday night.

Superintendent Rodolfo Albotra, Provincial Intelligence Branch chief, said the order was made for the investigation to be more objective and not tainted with bias, considering that it involves a ranking police official.

While a murder charge is being prepared against the suspect, Poblacion, Alcoy Barangay Councilor Ciriaco de los Santos, Albotra said they still do not have a clear picture of what transpired before the incident.

De los Santos, Albotra said, was not cooperating in the investigation.

Senior Police Officer 3 Rogelio Fernandez, Boljoon Police Station officer-in-charge, said in a separate interview that they immediately launched their investigation right after receiving the order from Senior Superintendent Noel Gillamac, CPPO director.

Boljoon and Alcoy are neighboring towns.

Fernandez assured that even if they are looking into the death of one of their own and a police chief at that, they would be fair in the conduct of their investigation.

“Trabaho lang ta sir kay kami man ang gitagaan og (We would do what we are supposed to do as we were the ones given the) order (to investigate what happened),” he told The FREEMAN.

He said he immediately sent his chief investigator to Alcoy after receiving the instructions from Gillamac, whom he said did not give them a period within which to wrap up the investigation.

Abella did not make it alive to the hospital after being shot five times near Alcoy town’s gymnasium.

He was with his personnel conducting police visibility at the covered court where a boxing match was being held, when de los Santos allegedly offered him a drink.

The two reportedly then started talking, which at one point resulted in an argument. 

As reported, Abella left to relieve himself. He was doing so when de los Santos allegedly approached and shot him several times. —(FREEMAN)