PROBE. The Philippine National Police regional office in Palo, Leyte. The Philippine National Police regional office here has initially identified on Wednesday (March 17, 2021) seven policemen allegedly involved in the shootout incident on March 8 incident that killed Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino and five others. (PNA file photo)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here has initially identified seven policemen allegedly involved in the shootout on March 8 that killed Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino and five others.
Col. Ma. Bella Rentuaya, Philippine National Police (PNP) Eastern Visayas regional office spokesperson, said on Wednesday that the special investigation task group (SITG) identified these police officers based on sworn statements signed by witnesses.
“The SITG has given us clearance of naming those accounted personnel, who are allegedly involved in the incident, but the group has not provided us details,” Rentuaya told reporters.
The official identified the ranking officers as Col. Harry Sucayre, Maj. Cyril Tan, Lt. Julius Armesa, and Cpl. Edcil Omega.
All of them were reportedly onboard the white Toyota Hilux that figured in the shootout with Aquino and his group along Laboyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy, Calbayog City, Samar at 5:30 p.m. on March 8.
Other policemen include Capt. Joselito Tabada and S/Sgt. Romeo Laoyon who were killed during the armed encounter. The wounded cop, identified as S/Sgt. Neil Cebu, is also included on the list.
Tabada was the chief of Samar PNP drug enforcement unit (DEU) and acting chief of police of nearby Gandara town.
Policemen allegedly involved in the shootout are all members of the PNP Samar DEU and integrity monitoring enforcement group.
“Their respective offices are taking custody of the personnel involved while the investigation is ongoing,” Rentuaya added.
The mayor and his aides were heading to their family-owned resort to attend his son’s birthday party after playing tennis when the incident occurred.
The PNP reported that while Aquino and his aides were heading north on board a white van, one of his security personnel fired at vehicles, which they allegedly thought were suspiciously tailing them.
The other unmarked vehicles carrying policemen, then retaliated, ensuing a firefight.
Policemen were conducting “red-teaming operations” to assess the readiness of the city for possible attacks by the communist group.
Killed were Aquino, two policemen from Samar PNP, a policeman assigned to secure Aquino, the mayor’s driver, and a civilian. Two were wounded, including the mayor’s aide and a police officer.
Aquino, 59, who was on his third and last term as the city's chief executive, served as mayor since 2011 after then-mayor Reynaldo Uy was killed in a fiesta celebration in Hinabangan, Samar. The incident remained unsolved. (PNA)
