4 men gunned down in Barili
Police about to serve arrest warrant when fired at
Police Regional Office 7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas defends the shooting of murder suspect Ronjohn Labrador and three alleged cohorts, Julito Soroño, Bebot Alcoy and Joselito Empinado
IN their attempt to evade arrest, four suspected criminals got shot and died in a 10-minute gunfight with police in Sitio Panas, Barangay Bugtong Kawayan in Barili town yesterday dawn.
Bañas says the shooting means there are fewer suspected criminals the authorities have to “contend with to minimize crime in the election season”
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The men belonged to a group responsible for several robberies and shootings, and were also involved in the illegal drug trade in southern Cebu, said Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas.
Their alleged leader, Ronjhon Labrador, was believed responsible for the murder of a police officer in Barangay Inayawan in Cebu City a few years back. Bañas did not mention the policeman’s name.
Labrador was killed in the gunfight with Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) 7 operatives. His alleged cohorts—Julito Soroño, 19; Bebot Alcoy, 30; and Joselito Empinado, 37— were also gunned down.
Bañas told reporters the shooting was “legitimate” and the RSOG 7 operatives fired in self-defense. It took place around 1 a.m.
The operatives’ intention was only to serve an arrest warrant for a murder case against Labrador but, Bañas said, the man fired at the policemen first. His three cohorts followed suit, forcing the operatives to hide.
Self-defense
“When they (suspects) decided to fight with the policemen, we had no choice except to defend ourselves,” said Bañas.
The gunfight, which lasted for at least 10 minutes, ended only when the four alleged criminals were sprawled lifeless. The operatives then took photos of each man’s face, which they presented to reporters later.
Labrador was the subject of the arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Alexander Acosta, which the RSOG 7 operatives brought when they went to Labrador’s house in Barili.
Labrador hailed from Barangay Buhisan in Cebu City. When he went to Barili, he befriended Soroño, Alcoy and Empinado there and made them his cohorts, Bañas said.
“Bisa’g asa ra man gyod ni siya magtago (He hid anywhere he could),” Bañas said.
Senior Insp. Romeo Sentinta Jr. of RSOG 7 said they received the information on Labrador’s presence in Sitio Panas from the neighbors.
Guns, drugs
When the gunfight ended and while the operatives were walking away from the village, Sentinta said he heard some of the people there saying, “Thank you.”
“Persistent ang mga complaints nga manghagis ni sila sa (The complaints on the troubles they caused were persistent). They even threatened the residents,” Sentinta said.
The operatives recovered at least five grams of suspected shabu in the house, with some KG9, .45 and .357 firearms. Each gram of shabu could fetch P11,800 out in the streets, according to the estimates of the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Bañas congratulated Sentinta’s team in his office yesterday for “a very successful operation.” He said this would lessen the criminals the operatives have to “contend with to minimize crime in the election season.”
RSOG 7 is a unit under the Regional Intelligence Division 7.
Jennifer Empinado, whose husband was among the four who died, said she was confused why the police shot him.
“Wala man na siya’y bati nga rekord (My husband had no bad record),” she said. “Wala ko kahinumdom nga nakadala siya og armas sa among balay (I can’t remember him bringing a gun in our home).”
Marked
Jennifer’s brother, Alcoy, was also one of the men who got gunned down yesterday.
Jennifer, Alcoy’s wife Marilie and their children watched while a team from the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory 7 placed hot wax on the hands of their men outside the Barili District Hospital past noon yesterday.
Insp. Atilano Fabella said they did not conduct an autopsy or postmortem examination because the RSOG only requested for a paraffin test.
A funeral parlor employee, who requested anonymity, said there were powder tattoos on Labrador’s body, which suggested he may have been shot at close range.
Images of a rose and skull were tattooed on Labrador’s chest and right upper arm. He also has a tattoo on his right leg and a scapular on his left arm.
The death certificates issued by Dr. Michelle Anne Dagoy of Barili District Hospital stated that the four men died after losing blood due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Jennifer said that Labrador arrived in their neighborhood about two months ago. She said she began to suspect him because he always carried a firearm.