‘Misencounter’ took cop’s life

CEBU, Philippines — Police Regional Office-7 Director Brigadier General Debold Sinas yesterday doused insinuations that Corporal Feliciano Yballe was killed in a police operation for his supposed involvement in the killing of another cop.

Instead, Sinas said Yballe’s death was a result of “misencounter and mis-coordination,” adding that 18 cops at the Provincial Intelligence Branch of the Cebu Provincial Police Office have been ordered relieved in the wake of the unfortunate incident.

Sinas belied that Yballe had a hand in the killing of Master Sergeant Junard Cinco in Toledo City on Tuesday. Cinco was among those who served the arrest warrant against slain drug lord Steve Go’s trustee, Gerly Glan Luwagi, who, along with a cohort, was eventually killed by authorities in a shootout at a Cebu City village on Monday evening.

After Cinco’s death, which was believed to be a retaliation from Go’s group, an operation was launched to hunt his attackers.

That eventually led the CPPO-PIB operatives to Barangay Sinsin.

Yballe, 30, who was assigned at the Cebu City Mobile Force Company (CMFC) led by Major Chuck Barandog, was reportedly familiar with Sinsin’s terrain, it being the adjacent barangay of Sudlon 1, where he was residing.

Sinas said Yballe was supposed to serve as guide to the CPPO-PIB operatives after they pinpointed that one of Cinco’s assailants was in that barangay.

He said a classmate now working at the PIB had recommended about Yballe’s supposed knowledge of Sinsin’s landscape.

Indeed, on Wednesday dawn, PIB operatives, not wearing police uniforms, marched into Yballe’s residence with the intention of inviting him as their guide to Sinsin.

However, when one of the operatives knocked on Yballe’s door, Yballe reportedly did not see a familiar face, leading him to open fire once as a warning shot.

At this point, PIB operatives were triggered to retaliate, killing Yballe.

Residents of Barangay Sudlon 1 attested to hearing multiple bursts of gunfire that dawn.

“According to CCPO team, he heard a shot that led to the exchange of fire and the misencounter. The team leader ordered ceasefire, and when they went inside the house, they saw the wounded body,” Sinas said.

Yballe was rushed to Cebu City Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival there.

According to Sinas, Yballe’s wife told the police that her husband had been suffering from “paranoia” recently after finding out that he allegedly had a bounty on his head being part of an unknown drug group’s kill list.

Sinas said the wife told investigators Yballe had had a hard time sleeping at night.

His paranoia may have also been the reason why he shot at the operatives, perhaps thinking they were not actually cops, Sinas added.

“Paranoid na si Yballe. Wala siya motuo nga mga pulis ang nituktok. Nag-warning shot siya mao ang operatiba magpabuto sab. Not outright nagkamali (ang mga operatives), but it was a quick reaction,” Sinas said.

From 2016 to 2018, Yballe worked as the police coordinator for the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council. He was later transferred to CMFC.

Relieved

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police Chief General Oscar Albayalde has ordered the relief of at least 18 cops from CPPO-PIB following the “misencounter.”

Sinas said they will be called to report to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) while investigation is ongoing.

He said there is chance they may be reinstated since the incident was not “outright a mistake but a matter of quick reaction.”

But Sinas also said he is not ruling out the possibility that homicide charges may be filed against them if the investigation warrants.

Homicide charges are a ground for grave misconduct, which may lead to a policeman’s dismissal from the service.

To ensure that investigation will be airtight, Sinas said he is not setting any timeline for it.

He also said that the 18 cops have been subjected to paraffin and drug test and their service firearms recalled and submitted for ballistic examination.

He has also given them a pep talk as he understands that the situation may demoralize them.

Sinas said he considers it an “isolated” case that will not diminish or discount the accomplishments of CPPO-PIB.

He then expressed sympathies over the deaths of Cinco and Yballe. He said they are already arranging the assistance to be extended to the bereaved families. — JMD (FREEMAN)