Ex-cop found positive during paraffin test

CEBU, Philippines - Former policeman Geoffrey Borinaga, who is accused of shooting to death a traffic enforcer along Governor Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Banilad last Wednesday, tested positive during a paraffin test.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Acting Director Mariano Natu-el, Jr. said this would indicate that Borinaga indeed fired a gun within three days, of which last Wednesday morning’s incident would include.

“Positive siya sa gunpowder nitrates on his both hands. This indicates that nakapabuto g’yud siya,” said Natu-el.

Natu-el said the paraffin result will bolster their investigation and evidence in filing a murder charge against Borinaga, who was positively identified by eyewitnesses as the one who shot and killed Armando Daligdig of the City Traffic Operations Management.

A charge for possession of illegal drugs will also be filed against the former policeman, who had two sticks of marijuana in his wallet when caught.

Natu-el said they are still waiting for the result of the ballistic test on Borinaga’s caliber .45 pistol allegedly used in shooting Daligdig, and the cross-matching examination on the slugs recovered from the crime scene and from the traffic enforcer’s body.

PNP Crime Laboratory 7 chief Doctor Nestor Sator, who conducted the autopsy on Daligdig’s body, said a caliber .45 slug was recovered from the fatality’s chest.

Daligdig, Sator said, sustained three gunshot wounds: one on his scalp and two on the left part of his chest. One of the bullets hit Daligdig’s heart which caused his instantaneous death, said Sator.

The Crime Lab chief further disclosed that there was no tattooing or gunpowder burns found on Daligdig’s body which indicate that he was shot more than two feet away.

At past 7 a.m. last Wednesday, Daligdig was manning the traffic when a man who was later identified as Borinaga called him from the roadside, to which the traffic enforcer heeded.

Natu-el, through a witness’ account, revealed that at this point, Daligdig heeded but as soon as he appeared to have identified the man, he stepped backwards.

“Niatras siya kay nailhan niya ang tawo, pero gideretso siya og pusil sa suspek,” said Natu-el. (He stepped back when he realized who it was, but he was shot.)

The suspect rode on his DT motorcycle and sped off while Daligdig was rushed to the hospital where he died a few minutes later.

The CCPO director said an informant told him that Daligdig confided that he had a heated argument with Borinaga at past 11 am last Tuesday over the latter’s traffic violation. Being a policeman, Daligdig recognized Borinaga, said Natu-el.

“Ang iyang violation is helmet gyud, wala siya magsuot. Wala na siya na-issue-han og TOP (Temporary Operator’s Permit) kay nisibat og kalit,” Natu-el further told The FREEMAN.

Borinaga, who was dismissed from the police service over drug-related matters in 2008, was arrested at his apartment in Canduman, Mandaue City five hours after Daligdig was shot. He denied shooting the traffic enforcer.

A day after the enforcer was gunned down while on duty, CITOM office is mourning but relieved considering the suspect was caught right away.

“Guol pa. At least small comfort ra nga dakpan dayon (gunman),” City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) executive director Atty. Rafael Yap said when asked how their office is taking the sudden death of their colleague.

Yap said the death of the 47-year-old Daligdig, who was awarded earlier this year, could be work related.

The idea of the city police assisting CITOM in manning traffic has been in the works a few weeks before Daligdig’s death.

Yap said the matter was already raised and agreed upon during one of the weekly meetings of Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) a few weeks ago.

Natu-el suggested the matter to the council members and officers with chairman Eugene Elizalde presiding the meeting.

In order to maximize the police forces that CCPO can lend to CITOM in maintaining peace and order while ensuring that traffic rules are followed, key hotspots were identified where the CITOM-police tandem are designated.

Yap said Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue in barangay Banilad, where Daligdig was shot while manning traffic Thursday morning, is among the hotspot list.

Other areas of concern in the north district include uptown area until Cardinal Rosales Ave. and Gorordo Ave., Sudlon in Lahug to Salinas Drive, Cardinal Rosales corner Escario right below the flyover at the Cebu Business Park all the way to Grand Convention Center area, the rest of Escario street, provincial Capitol going to Osmeña Boulevard stretch, General Maxilom Avenue, Juan Luna Avenue and F. Cabahug St. to St. Benedict School, Carreta, and the Talamban proper.

South district areas identified to be in need of police visibility along with CITOM enforcers are those near the flyover in Barangay Mambaling, C. Padilla St. to the South Road Properties (SRP), V. Rama Avenue, south-bound Natalio Bacalso Ave. to Tagunol, Bulacao, F. Llamas St, and Tres de Abril St. to Barangay Tisa. /JPM (FREEMAN)