Cop shot dead in Minglanilla
A policeman was shot dead inside his car by unidentified assailants yesterday around 1:45 p.m. in Barangay Linao-Lipata, Minglanilla.
The victim was identified as Police Officer 2 Romeo Santiago Bolaño, 49, a resident of Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City. He was formerly assigned to the Naga City Police Station but reassigned to the Police Regional Office Cordillera in 2016.
According to Chief Inspector Verniño Noserale, Minglanilla Police Station chief, Bolaño was driving his red Toyota Corolla with plate number YCJ-570 with passengers Senior Police Officer 2 Maricor Aliganga, 38, currently assigned to the Naga City Police Station, and a friend named Clifford Zamora, 42, a resident of the City of Naga.
Initial investigation revealed they came from the City of Naga and were heading to Talisay City but stopped at a Palawan Pawnshop since Aliganga had some business to attend to.
Gunshots were heard a few minutes later. Aliganga said he saw that Bolaño had been badly wounded while Zamora, who was seated in the back, had been shot in the left leg.
Aliganga drove the victims to the South General Hospital but Bolaño died before he could receive help.
Witnesses said they saw the assailant fire from the window of a green Mitsubishi Pajero which drove up to the left side of Bolaño's car.
Noserale estimated that Bolaño suffered around four to six gunshot wounds. Police were not able to recover any spent shells at the crime scene and believe the assailant used a revolver.
Police are now looking to see if there are nearby security cameras that recorded the incident. They have yet to determine the motive behind the shooting, but Noserale said they are eyeing the possibility it was related to Bolaño's work as a policeman.
The Minglanilla police are now coordinating with the PRO Cordillera to determine Bolaño's designation. However, according to Police Officer 2 Liberty Chamcan from the Personnel Accounting Information System of Police Regional Office Cordillera, Bolaño was reassigned to Camp Crame also in 2016.
The FREEMAN tried to contact Camp Crame but received no reply.
Meanwhile, a 51-year-old man was shot dead in broad daylight by an unidentified assailant in Sitio Sangi New Road, Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, yesterday morning.
Paul Jonathan Ompad of Sto. Niño Village, Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, was driving his motorcycle heading home when he was shot when he reached the corner road of Tumulak Village in Sitio Sangi New Road past 10 a.m.
Police Officer 3 Wilson Mallnegro of the Lapu-Lapu City Police OfficeHomicide Section said the assailant may have followed Ompad before shooting him in the head and back.
The assailant then fled, leading Ompad dead in a pool of his own blood.
At least six spent shells from a .45 cal. pistol were found in the crime scene. Mallnegro said they have yet to determine whether or not the victim was involved in the illegal drug trade.