Business, drugs, personal grudge eyed as motives in cop’s killing

Police are pursuing three possible motives in the killing of a policewoman in Barangay Poblacion, Tabuelan, midwest Cebu Thursday.

These are personal grudge, business, and illegal drugs, said Police Officer 2 John Mark Asendiente of Tabuelan Police Station.

Police Officer 1 Avita Sarzuelo, 47, was killed in an ambush by four unidentified gunmen, who peppered bullets on the victim's black Toyota Yaris while she was on her way to her meat store at the town's public market at around 5 in the morning.

“Gi-gather na nato ang mga witnesses ug katong personalidad nga iyang nakabangi sa negosyo nga karnehan. Mao pa among gitutukan karon,” Asendiente said.

"Gibasehan ang pagka-relieve niya naay nadakpan nga ig-agaw dayun last kay pag-umangkon niya. Naa may gi-divulge nga involved ang iyang pangalan. Amo pa gi-verify og unsa iyang link or involvement sa kining atong gidakop o kun drug protector or supplier ba ni ang biktima," he added.

Police Officer 3 Gilbert Allego, investigator of the case, said the person, who was allegedly mauled by Sarzuelo during the town's fiesta several weeks ago, has already been invited for questioning.

The two reportedly had a conflict over their meat business.

“I-invite nato for questioning if unsa iyang kalambigitan sa panghitabo,” Allego said over the phone.

He said they were able to gather three witnesses but none of them could give the facial description of the suspects, who were wearing bonnets and hooded jackets.

Police also failed to recover surveillance footages in the area.

“Wala gyud CCTV (closedcircuit television cameras). But amo suwayan sa gasolinahan basin naay CCTV aron ma-trace ang gigamit nga getaway vehicles,” Allego said.

Tabuelan police have already requested the Crime Laboratory for a trajectory examination of the vehicle of Sarzuelo.

Police are also waiting for the Scene of the Crime Operative (SOCO) report on the pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene.

Authorities recovered empty shells of caliber .45 and M15 bullets, as well as a .45 Gloc that was owned by Sarzuelo.

Before her death, Sarzuelo was assigned at the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit of the Cebu Police Provincial Office, a division that houses police personnel with pending cases, under suspension, or without assignment or on floating status.

She was granted an optional retirement that was to take effect this October. She was already on her 22nd year in PNP service.

Since June, Sarzuelo is the third active non-commissioned police officer to die at the hands of unidentified men.

Police Officer 3 Jonathan Tilos of Ginatilan Police Station was killed last June 13 in Alegria town while Police Officer 2 Melchizedek Batomalaque was shot dead by two assailants outside his residence last June 19. Both officers were also said to be involved in illegal drugs.

Ermida Q. Moradas/KBQ