Irate Rama tells cops to explain

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is wondering what the police are doing with the 44 motorcycles that have been given them as a series of drive-by shootings have gripped the city.

“Convince me, why should I not be angry?”

Rama has asked the Cebu City Police Office to explain to him how come the motorcycles, which were given to the police for quick response, have not helped in the arrest of the culprits.

Yesterday, two men – a former police asset and a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network – were killed in separate incidents.

Rama said he is wondering how come the police failed to quickly respond to the drive-by shootings where the culprits have been described to be riding a gray colored sedan.

   The most recent incident took place the other day in Barangay Kinasang-an, where two teenagers were hit in various parts of the body.

Sr. Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, Cebu City Police Office Director, has assured Rama they are doing everything to address the criminal activities in the city, particularly the drive-by shootings.

He said a meeting was held at CCPO headquarters yesterday where they brainstormed on plans against criminal elements.

“Maningkamot gyud ta (police) kay bisan pa niining challenge sa mayor, amo nang gi-paningkamotan ang tanan para ma-resolve kining mga krimen. Kaya lang, naay mga laing mga factors nga di ra sa pulis nato maresolba tanan,” (We will do our best and have been doing so even before this challenge of the mayor so these crimes can be solved. Unfortunately there are some factors that can help us resolve these) Buenafe told The FREEMAN.

The police chief also urged all Cebuanos to help in their efforts to rid the city of criminality.

Buenafe also said that similar criminal incidents are also happening in other areas in the country, adding that those happening in other areas are far worse than what the city have experienced.

“What is consoling, we don’t have dinagko nga krimen pareho sa uban – robberies, bombings, kidnapping for ransom..,” he said.

Despite a lower budget this year, Buenafe is asking City Hall to grant their request for more two-way radios for the motor cops.

Recent shootings

 A former police asset and a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network were killed in two separate shooting incidents in the city yesterday.

Michael Monalde, 36, of Barangay Pasil, and Catalino Entoma, 29, of Barangay Bulacao Pardo, were shot by two unidentified motorcycle-riding men.

Monalde was shot at El Flores Street, Sitio Abuno, Barangay Pasil, at around 3:30 a.m. 

SPO1 Ruth Violango, homicide investigator, told The FREEMAN the assailant waited at a nearby burger shop for the victim.

When the victim passed, the gunman casually put on his helmet, approached the victim, and fired, she said.    

The victim sustained four gunshot wounds on both thighs and it took a long time before he was brought to the Cebu City Medical Center where he expired an hour after the incident. The gunman reportedly casually walked towards a parked motorcycle and fled.

Sr. Insp. Jul Mohammad Jamiri, homicide chief, said Monalde was removed as a police asset since August last year after he was involved in a shooting incident and several illegal activities in their area.

Entoma, on the other hand, succumbed to two gunshot wounds on his head after another motorcycle-riding gunman shot him in at Unit 2, Carbon Public Market, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City.

Jamiri said the victim was with his live-in partner, Mylen Cuna, of Barangay Bulacao, when he was shot dead at around 12:30 p.m. 

Witnesses told the police that a man wearing a full faced helmet approached the victim and shot him twice, he said.

The police believe that the motive behind the attack might be personal grudge after Entoma, who worked as a security personnel at the Gaisano Capital ruins, had a rift with several scavengers.

Jamiri said that Entoma’s group caught a suspected thief last Tuesday and were supposed to file a case today. — /NLQ (FREEMAN)