P50T bounty up for cop’s killer

CEBU, Philippines — Following the murder charges filed against the suspects in the killing of a policeman in San Carlos City, a P50,000 bounty was placed in the head of the gunman.

Senior Superintendent Milko Lirazan, director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said a concerned citizen called his office Thursday afternoon and pledged to give P50,000 for any information that will lead to the capture — dead or alive — of Marcial Garingo, the alleged gunman of Senior Police Officer 2 Edsel Villanueva.

Villanueva, who was assigned to the Calatrava Municipal Police Station, was gunned down allegedly by Garingo and the other suspects while he was on his way home to San Carlos City last February 23.

He was the third policeman in the province to be killed this year, barely a month after the first victim, Police Officer 2 Jan Gallenero Jr. of La Carlota City Police Office, was murdered.

On February 18, Senior Police Officer 4 Roger Cañete of the Silay City Police Office was killed allegedly by Police Officer 2 Reynaldo Bernil and civilian asset Carlo Riosora.

The three slain policemen were reportedly active in the campaign against illegal drugs in their respective areas of assignment in the province.