One dead in shootout

CEBU, Philippines - A man died after he and the subject of the police’s warrant of arrest traded gunfire with the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB)-7 personnel yesterday morning in Barangay Balud, San Fernando town.

Jerry Sanoy of Negros Oriental was pronounced dead on arrival at the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City after he sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body.

Senior Police Officer 1 Rolando Bastida, desk officer, said that past 5 a.m. yesterday, a team of RPSB-7 personnel, led by Inspector Alvino Enguito, went to Barangay Balud to serve a warrant of arrest to a certain Ronjohn Labrador.

Bastida said that Labrador has a standing warrant for murder issued by Judge Alexander Acosta.

Bastida said that Enguito and his men went to the house where Labrador was spotted but they noticed that there were two people outside, Labrador and Sanoy.

Inspector Alvino Enguito told The Freeman in an interview that even before they reached the house, Labrador and Sanoy already saw them and fired shots at them. 

Enguito and his men took cover and returned fire, prompting Sanoy and Labrador to run away immediately.

“Nag-serve mi’g warrant sa murder nya karon naa siya didto, duha sila kabook… Naa sila sa gawas, nakit-an man mi nila, naunahan mi, nitago mi nya ni-return fire pud mi, pagkahuman nakit-an namo patay,” Enguito said.

Sanoy was hit in the back and in the leg while trying to run away from Enguito’s team.

RPSB-7 personnel recovered from the crime scene a caliber .45 pistol, a magazine loaded with two live ammo and a slug.

Enguito and some of his men immediately brought Sanoy to the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City but he was declared dead on arrival.

Labrador, who according to witnesses was unharmed in the shootout, was able to elude arrest and the RPSB-7 personnel are still conducting a hot pursuit operation against him.- (FREEMAN)