Murder raps filed against policeman who ‘kills’ superior

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – While a massive manhunt operations continued for the arrest of a policeman who shot dead his team leader on New Year’s Eve inside their headquarters at Janiuay town in Iloilo, a criminal case for murder was already filed against him on Monday.

Senior Superintendent Roderick Augustus Alba, director of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office, said the case was filed against Senior Police Officer 1 Arnold Lizada, docketed as case no. VI-11-INV-16A-00001, before Prosecutor Anna Liza Pueda-Galvez.

Lizada, 43, allegedly gunned down his team leader, Inspector Christian Lee Nelmida, inside the 2nd Maneuver Platoon headquarters at Jibolo village in Janiuay, at around 9 p.m. of Dec. 31. Nelmida was in the kitchen fixing his dinner when Lizada entered and shot him on the chest.

Lizada immediately fled after shooting Nelmida, but he carried with him a shotgun and two government firearms: an M16 Armalite rifle and a caliber .9mm Glock pistol.

As of yesterday afternoon, the manhunt operations failed to arrest Lizada, and Alba said they have alerted seaports and transport terminals, while directing special tracker team in every police station all over the province. “Social media was also of big help. His picture went viral. He could not just go out because he’s been identified,” Alba said.

“He’s still in hiding but we believe that he is still here in Panay Island,” Alba said without elaborating further, as it might jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

“We have intensified the manhunt operations when he failed to surrender after the 3-p.m. ultimatum (of January 2) I gave him,” Alba said. “Despite the numerous attempts to negotiate, he failed to peacefully surrender,” he said, while warning the public that Lizada is “armed and dangerous.”

Latest unofficial reports yesterday, allegedly coming from Lizada, stated that he would face the case soon. Many believed he will surrender, as there were reports that he has been in talks with a lawyer about this. His family however could not give information on his possible whereabouts

Alba meanwhile said the police could not yet ascertain what drove Lizada to kill Nelmida. “Based on word of mouth, it’s personal grudges. But I don’t know where the grudges stemmed from,” he added.

After the shooting incident, policemen assigned at the 2nd Maneuver Platoon headquarters underwent debriefing to address their emotional stress. Afterwards, policemen who were present at the time would be investigated, said Alba. “We would like to know if they did a proper response or if they acted accordingly immediately following the incident.”

According to the victim’s father, retired police major Joselito Nelmida, his son was a big-hearted man who helped send his siblings to school. A graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy Class 2013, the victim hailed from Capas in Tarlac province.

Nelmida’s remains were brought to the IPPO the other day, before being transported to his hometown in Tarlac yesterday. (FREEMAN)