Chief Superintendent Dionisio Coloma Jr., Eastern Visayas police director, identified the slain lawmen as SPO1 Ramir Secovia Silva and SPO1 Lorenzo Calimbo, both assigned to the Villaba, Leyte police.
Coloma quoted a report as saying that Silva was seated inside the cockpit arena in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Villaba town when the gunman, along with two companions, approached him from behind and shot him.
Calimbo was also killed in a similar manner, Coloma said.
According to unconfirmed reports, two other Villaba policemen and a third one in San Isidro town are missing.
Coloma said he has directed Senior Superintendent Teodorido Lapuz, Leyte police director, to investigate any possible involvement of the two slain lawmen in any illegal activity that could have prompted their liquidation by the New People’s Army.
Last week, a certain PO2 Bienvenido, of the San Isidro police, went missing and is feared to have been an NPA victim, too. — Miriam Garcia Desacada