Cebu cop gunned down on way to Misa de Gallo

CEBU CITY — A policeman was gunned down as he and his wife were about to attend the dawn Mass Saturday. Four men fired at PO2 Romeo Jumalon outside his house in Barangay Pit-os past 4 a.m.

Jumalon was a base police officer assigned at the gate of Central Visayas Police Regional Office headquarters to check visitors.

Senior Insp. Alvin Llamedo, chief of the Talamban police station, said the policeman and his wife crossed a road to their car which was parked in a vacant lot.

The wife boarded the car while Jumalon checked the car’s engine.

Jumalon was about to open the car’s hood when a Toyota Vios sedan pulled over. Four men got out and repeatedly shot the policeman, Llamedo said.

The wife was unharmed.

“No one was able to take note of the plate number of the Toyota vehicle,” Llamedo said.

Operatives of the Scene of Crime Operations (SOCO) recovered at least 30 spent 9mm caliber shells at the crime scene.

Llamedo said work-related or personal grudges are being looked into as possible motives of the crime.

Llamedo was previously assigned at the Intelligence Branch of the Cebu City Police Office before he was transferred to the regional police’s Personnel Holding Admin Unit where he took part in anti-illegal drug operations.

Llamedo said they will check with the family to find out if the policeman received threats before he was killed.

“We will also conduct a background check on the victim. We are also hoping that we can get information from the victim’s cell phone. The phone is now with the police and will be subjected for a forensic examination,” Llamedo said.

In Tacloban City, a police officer was shot dead in front of Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center at Sunday morning.

PO2 Lawrence Tabungar, who was assigned to the Mobile Patrol Unit of Tacloban City Police Office, was driving his vehicle when he was fired upon by gunmen in a red pickup truck.

Tabungar was on his way home to Peerless Village after his duty and had bought a cake to celebrate Christmas with his family.

Supt. Bella Rentuaya, Eastern Visyas police information officer, said Tabungar had gunshot wounds in the head and body.

"Tacloban City Police Office is conducting a follow-up investigation for the identity and possible arrest of the suspects," Rentuaya said.(With a report from Marie Tonette Grace Marticio)