Illegal drugs counterstrike? 3rd cop slain in Negros Occidental in a month

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – After two policemen were killed in separate incidents, since January 27, and hours after Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. on Monday ordered the provincial police to intensify its drive against illegal drugs, another policeman was murdered.

The third fatality was identified as Senior Police Officer 2 Edcel Villanueva, 40, a resident of Barangay 6 in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental and was assigned to the Calatrava Municipal Police Station.

Superintendent Victorino Romanillos, chief of San Carlos City Police Office, said Villanueva was riding his motorcycle on his way home at around 7:50 p.m. Monday when waylaid and killed by an unidentified assailant at V. Gustilo Street in the victim's village at San Carlos City.

Romanillos said Villanueva sustained fatal gunshot wounds to his chest and body. The victim was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The attacker was also riding a motorcycle, witnesses said.

Recovered from the crime scene were three empty shells and two slugs of bullets of a .45-caliber pistol, said Romanillos, adding that the police already have a lead to the description of the gunman.

Romanillos said his office has been closely coordinating with the Calatrava Municipal Police Station that would help in identifying the victim's assailant. The victim had received death threats before, he said.

Senior Superintendent Milko Lirazan, director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said the killing of Villanueva was job-related, because the victim was very aggressive in his campaign against illegal drugs.

Lirazan said Villanueva was an operator of Calatrava's Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group and, two months ago, he became a beat patrol leader. Villanueva apprehended before a "big-time drug pusher”, who was operating in Calatrava and San Carlos, and is now jailed and charged.

Lirazan ordered his men to conduct a deeper probe on the case, while he assured the public that NOPPO will continue with its campaign against illegal drugs. He also told his men to be vigilant and continue to do their jobs.

Villanueva was the third policeman in the province who was killed, in connection with the illegal drugs campaign this year. The first was Police Officer 2 Jan Gallenero Jr. of La Carlota City Police Office, who was shot allegedly by his colleagues, PO1s Jackie Aizpuro and Randy Gelboria, civilian Randy Coray and five other unidentified suspects on January 27.

The second was Senior Police Officer 4 Roger Cañete of Silay City Police Office who was allegedly killed by PO2 Reynaldo Bernil and civilian asset Carlo Riosora on February 18.

Vice Governor Eugenio Jose "Bong" Lacson earlier expressed alarm over the killings of policemen in the province and urged Lirazan to "dig deeper into this", and find out if illegal drugs syndicates were involved. "Could this be a turf war among drug syndicates?" he asked.

Marañon also ordered Lirazan to conduct random drug-testing among policemen in the province, claiming that the murders were drug-related.

Earlier, Representative Jeffrey Ferrer (4th district, Negros Occ.) said he will initiate a congressional meeting on the matter in the first week of March. As chairman of the house committee on public order and safety, he said he will set a conference with Marañon, Lirazan and the chiefs of police in the province. When sought for reaction on the recent incident, Ferrer said he will have it checked.