Cop shot dead in operation, suspect killed in follow-up

CEBU, Philippines —  A police operative was shot dead in a surveillance operation on Sunday night, while his gunman was later killed in an armed encounter with the authorities during a follow-up operation the next morning.

Police Staff Sergeant Clyde Alinsug, who was assigned to the Drug Enforcement Unit of Consolacion Police Station, was on a surveillance mission on the subject, a certain ex-convict named Reynaldo Ydil, in Barangay Casili, Consolacion town on Sunday evening.

Consolacion Police Station chief, Police Major Jude Cebrero, said that while conducting the surveillance, Ydil sensed that that the person he was dealing with was a policeman, leading to the shootout.

“Then nung nag-verify siya nung report ng subject kasama yung informant, naka-sense yung suspect na sila ay police. Nakigbunutan sa ating police kasi may dalang baril ito, at doon natamaan ang tropa natin,” Cebrero said.

He added that right after shooting Alinsug, Ydil immediately fled the area.

According to Cebrero, Alinsug was not wearing a bullet-proof vest since he was just conducting a verification operation.

Alinsug sustained gunshot wounds to his lower and right chest.

Police said Ydil was being monitored over reports that he was into the illegal drug trade.

Follow-up operation

After coordinating with other police units, Ydil was traced to be at a rented room in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City. There, he was with two companions identified as Ariane Manalili Gacela and Danilo Coders Aguilar.

Elements from Consolacion Police Station, Cebu Provincial Police Office headquarters, and the Mandaue City Intelligence Unit then hatched the follow-up operation.

According to Police Lt. Colonel Verniño Noserale, Mandaue CIU chief, they first received a report that the suspect was spotted in Barangay Jagobiao in Mandaue.

Noserale said they learned that Aguilar provided a motorcycle for Ydil, as soon as the latter was able to escape in Consolacion.

“Morag siya (Aguilar) ang rescuer ato nga suspect maong nakaabot sila diri,” said Noserale.

When police arrived at the rented room in Lahug, Ydil was with the two “cohorts.”

But then he resisted arrest and fired first at the authorities, prompting the latter to fire back, said Noserale.

Aguilar attempted to flee on board a motorcycle but hit a stumbling block, incurring head injuries in the process.

Gacela and Aguilar were arrested.

It would be later known that Ydil had sustained a wound to his leg from the encounter in Consolacion. This, according to the police, was the reason why Ydil supposedly sought a motorcycle ride.

CPPO Director Police Lt. Colonel Mark Gifter Sucalit, for his part, said that after a series of follow-up, they received information that Ydil and his cohorts were found in Sitio Tarcom, Lahug, Cebu City.

Sucalit said Ydil noticed police presence and engaged them in an armed encounter.

“Revelation sa tropa, mi-engage gyud ang suspect,” he said.

In the wake of the incident, Sucalit reminded cops and operatives to always ensure the importance of implementing precautionary measures when conducting police operations.

“Ato nang i-reiterate, para alerto permi atong operatiba. Kini atong follow-up operation mao sad ni ang justice sa atong mga operatiba,” he said. — JMD (FREEMAN)