Suspects have pending warrants: Raps to be filed vs. “cop killers”

The Mandaue City Police is set to file charges against three suspected robbers tagged as the assailants that killed a policeman early dawn Sunday and injured his partner.

Sr. Supt. Rodel Calungsod, director of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), said that they are in the process of consolidating the documentary requirements for the filing of charges.

Set to faces charges for robbery, murder and frustrated murder are Lauro ‘Joegro’ Lumapas, Niño Bacasero and Leo de la Victoria.

The three, who are residents of Mandaue City are the prime suspects in the shooting to death of SPO1 Pedro Sucion, the wounding of PO2 Darius Conejos, and for robbing taxi driver Arnel Quimbot.

Calungsod said that the three suspects all have pending warrants of arrest for their involvement in robberies.

The driver of the tricycle that was used as get away vehicle of the three suspects has already been released by the police after questioning.

The three men allegedly robbed Quimbot of his earnings and fired warning shots after the heist drawing the attention of the two policemen, who were doing patrol at the Mandaue Reclamation Area.

When they flagged down the tricycle wanting to check who were on board the vehicle, shots were fired killing Sucion instantly.

Conejos was scheduled to undergo surgery yesterday as he sustained gunshot wounds on his chest and arms.

Mandaue City Acts

While Mayor Jonas Cortes and the opposition-dominated city council could not agree whether a cash reward should be given for information on the suspects, they all agree that the lack of vehicle was not the reason for the mishap.

Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said that there was an immediate response when Conejos called for back-up.  He pointed out that the main issue is the lack of lights in the area where the incident happened.

Although there are several of the controversial decorative lampposts in the area, these cannot be lighted since the cables that are needed to connect them to the source of electricity have been stolen.

The lampposts have not also been turned over to the city yet.

Fortuna announced that the city council would offer a P100 thousand reward for information that would help police find the criminals.

Mayor Cortes said that helping the family of the slain policeman must be the immediate concern.

He said that he would offer the widow of Sucion a job at city hall.

Retraining

Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Supt. Ronald Roderos ordered the MCPO director to conduct an “immediate” orientation course on Basic Police Intervention techniques and also Close Quarter Battle in Station 1 today and to be followed by other police stations of the city.

This is because the most recent incident follows two others that also resulted to the death of policemen.

He ordered Calungsod to task the Special Weapons and Tactics of the MCPO to conduct the said refresher course because he believed that police who were not adept to such training are likely to fail in actual engagements.

Awards

Roderos and Calungsod visited Conejos at Chong Hua Hospital and gave him the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting aside from financial assistance.

Roderos assured the policeman that the PNP would shoulder his hospital bills.

The visit of the regional director also allowed Conejos to air his problem on the fact that he has not been receiving his salary since August when he resumed work after serving a six-month suspension.

Conejos was suspended due to a court decision on a civil case filed by his own relatives.

Roderos told him to submit the necessary documents so this can be processed.

The police general also went to the wake of Sucion and pinned the award meant for the slain policeman on his wife.

He Was Sick That Day

Charlene, Sucion’s widow, said that she and her daughter tried to stop Sucion from reporting for work the day before the incident because he had fever.

“Amo gani siyang gigakos-gakos kay di nako siya patrabahuon kay gihilantan man, gihilot-hilot sad siya sa among anak pero giingnan raman ko nga ‘ako may senior, so, kinahanglan ko didto. Mahingawa lagi daw siya sa trabaho,” Charlene said between sobs.

Their daughter, Pritz Charisse, 17, was still clutching her father’s brown jacket when the police officials came.

The jacket, which had a bullet hole, was the one worn by Sucion on that fateful morning.

Charlene also said that Sucion had plans to work on his early retirement since he was starting to get sickly.

Roderos said, Sucion’s daughter who is in her first year in the College of Nursing of University of the Visayas would be granted by the PNP a scholarship.

Not A Smooth Road

During the traditional New Year’s Call yesterday morning, Roderos doffed his hat to the policemen and women for risking their life in the service to the community.

The traditional New Year’s Call was attended by the provincial and city commanders in Central Visayas as well as some special units of the PNP at the police headquarters.

“The road was not smooth but we prevailed because we pursued our mandate to serve and protect our country and people with passion and determination, gallantly surmounting the obstacles along the way with courage and loyalty as our primary weapons,” Roderos said.

Roderos added that “I dedicate in gratitude and appreciation to the men ad women in uniform for risking life and limb in service to the nation, and to the members of the community who continue to trust and support us.”

According to Roderos the police were able to sustain the continuous downtrend in crime by fielding uniformed policemen in the streets by protecting and serving the community while denying the criminals opportunity in committing crimes. — with Garry B. Lao/NLQ