Santa Fe police kill man in checkpoint shootout

CEBU, Philippines – A man died after shooting it out with the police manning a checkpoint in Barangay Maricaban, Santa Fe Wednesday evening.

Edgar Jomola, resident of Barangay Ocoy, was declared dead on arrival at the Bantayan District Hospital after he engaged in a shootout with the members of the Santa Fe police when the motorcycle he was riding was flagged down at the checkpoint.

Jomola, on board a red Ramjet motorcycle driven by Jesus Montebon Tuñacao, 38, allegedly drew his Caliber .357 revolver and shot Police Officer 3 Juanito Yunting but missed.

Yunting returned fire hitting Jomola in the body. The police rushed him to the hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival. Tuñacao was arrested and is now detained at the Santa Fe Police Station.

The police recovered the motorcycle and the firearm allegedly used by Jomola. Cebu Provincial Police Office chief Erson Digal yesterday sent a team of investigators to Bantayan Island to conduct an investigation into the incident.

Digal said he wanted to know whether the police followed the right procedure in the conduct of the checkpoint. He also ordered to submit Jomola to paraffin test to validate the claim of the police that it was him who first fired at the police.

Digal said they will also look into the possibility that the suspects were working for a candidate. He however admitted that Santa Fe and Madridejos in Bantayan Island have already been listed on the watchlist for possible election related violence in the coming October 25 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. (FREEMAN)