SWAT team shoots armed man to death

CEBU, Philippines - The Special Weapon and Tactics team of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) shot dead a man at a checkpoint along C. Rodriguez Street, Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City shortly before midnight yesterday.

Nestor Campanya Blanco succumbed to a gunshot wound in his back after he was fired upon by PO2 Conrado Alega using an M16 Armalite rifle.

The six-man SWAT team composed of Alega, SPO2 Renante Nioda, SPO1 Danilo Rosales, PO3 Joel Taboada, PO2 Alvin Guiroy, and PO1 Edcel Petecio conducted a checkpoint together with Fuente Osmeña police led by Insp. Keth Allen Andaya when the incident happened at 11:22 p.m.

The policemen were about to stop two men onboard a motorcycle. But the man riding in pillion, who was later identified as Blanco, reportedly pulled out a .45 caliber gun and fired shots at the SWAT team.

Alega returned fire and hit Blanco who fell down from the motorcycle. The driver sped away and eluded arrest.

The team rushed Blanco to the Cebu City Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.

Recovered from the scene were a .45 caliber pistol with six live ammunitions and an empty magazine owned by Blanco, a jobless and a resident of Riverside, Sapangdako, Lapu-Lapu City.

A cell phone, a black bonnet, an expired LTO temporary license, an identification card bearing Blanco’s name, a camouflage necklace wallet, and other assorted papers were turned over to the police by the CCMC.

On the other hand, Alega voluntarily submitted the M16 for ballistic examination. He is now under the custody of Fuente Osmeña Station chief Chief Insp. Arnel Banzon.

Banzon said no case will be filed against Alega as he was just doing his job and that shooting Blanco was in line of his duty.

A paraffin test and ballistic examination were conducted both on Blanco and the SWAT team. — Niña G. Sumacot/LPM (FREEMAN NEWS)