Snatcher kills cop

A personal grudge drove a snatcher to stab dead last Tuesday an off-duty policeman inside a food store in Pasig City.

Tomas Bedana, 30, had accused the victim, PO2 Ramon de Leon, 46, of ordering inmates to physically harm him while he was in detention at a Pasig City police cell two weeks ago.

Bedana stabbed de Leon 13 times in the body and slashed his throat before walking away, taking the slain cop’s issued firearm, a 9mm automatic pistol.

De Leon, assigned at the Police Community Precinct 9, was the third policeman to be killed in Pasig City in the last two weeks.

Last March 26, SPO2 Ramon Borre was cradling his grandson in Barangay Pinagbuhatan when gunned down by business rival Abi Palana while four armed men shot dead Chief Inspector Renato Marasigan in an ambush in Barangay Malinao three days later.

Senior Superintendent Romeo Abaring, Pasig City police officer-in-charge, ordered a manhunt for Bedana, a known snatcher in his neighborhood in Lupang Pari, Barangay San Miguel.

Abaring is also coordinating with the suspects’ family to work for his surrender. "We are talking with his relative, a retired policeman, to bring him in," Abaring said.

Two weeks ago, De Leon jailed Bedana on an estafa case.

"Ginulpi si Bedana ng mga kapwa preso niya ng dalawang beses at si De Leon ang pinaghinalaan niyang nag-utos sa mga ito," one policeman said.

Initial investigation showed that De Leon was drinking liquor with friends in Barangay San Miguel at 6 p.m. last Tuesday when Bedana, who was recently released from jail, attacked him.

"Nakatayo si De Leon nang saksakin siya sa likod ni Bedana," a police official said.

After De Leon fell, Bedana stabbed him repeatedly in the body before slashing his throat. He then grabbed the cop’s firearm.

De Leon were too shocked to react to the attack, witnesses said.

De Leon was declared dead by Chief Inspector Russel Leyva, of the Scene of the Crime Operatives of the Eastern Police District (EPD). — Non Alquitran