Rookie cop who shot robber in Talisay City to get award

CEBU, Philippines – The neophyte police officer who shot and injured a robbery suspect in Talisay City on Wednesday will be given an award for his bravery and heroic deed.

Cebu Provincial Police Office director Erson Digal said he will recommend to Police Regional Office-7 director Ager Ontog that PO1 Jessieben Gumandal be given a "Medalya ng Kagalingan" for him to be a role model to other policemen.

"We will give him appropriate award," Digal said.

Gumandal, a field training police officer of Talisay City, shot and hit robbery suspect Johnly Abangan to the left abdomen while trying to evade arrest at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Abangan and his cohort, Jeffrey Paran, robbed Myla Bariquiot, 40, resident of Barangay Tiber, Minglanilla who had just withdrawn money from an ATM machine in Barangay Tabunok.

PO3 Edwin Alvarado, duty desk officer of the Talisay City Police Station, said Bariquiot was on her way back to the car where her children were when she noticed two individuals on board a motorcycle. Sensing trouble, she quickly locked the car's door to protect her children and went straight to the highway and hailed a multicab bound to the south.

The suspects were however not distracted by Bariquiot's ploy and instead followed the multicab she was riding and blocked it when it reached Sitio Mananga to stop it.

It was allegedly Abangan who fearlessly went inside the multicab and pointed a gun at Bariquiot and took her pouch bag containing her wallet with P22,500 cash, two ATM cards and an SSS ID.

At this juncture, Gumandal, who was doing his regular foot patrolling in the area, noticed a commotion inside the multicab, prompting him to run towards it. But when the policeman was already near, Abangan immediately boarded the getaway motorcycle and attempted to pull his gun from his waist.

The police officer was however quick to fire a shot at Abangan causing him to fall from the motorcycle.

The injured suspect was then arrested and a .38 revolver loaded with five ammunitions were recovered from him. Paran was able to escape. At 2 p.m. yesterday, Talisay City Police led by Supt. Henry Biñas, also arrested Paran, a resident of Poblacion Naga in Barangay Langtad of the same municipality.

The arresting police seized from Paran two motorcycles, a sack of bags containing personal belongings believed to be owned by persons they have victimized. - Liv G. Campo and Ria Mae Y. Booc/WAB (FREEMAN)