Talisay shootings: Past work, personal grudges as motives

CEBU, Philippines — Police investigators are looking at the victim’s previous work and personal grudge as the possible motives in the killing of two retired cops in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City last Sunday night.

Former SPO4 Ferdinand Navales and SPO1 Edgar Causon were shot dead by two motorcycle-riding assailants.

Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Manuel Abrugena, in a press conference yesterday, said the two policemen were previously assigned as drug enforcement officers.

Navales was assigned at the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOT) while Causon was with the City Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group (SAIDSOT).

He said that both cops were active in anti-drug operations.

Abrugena said there is a possibility that they may have been the targets by those previously arrested drug personalities.

"Personal grudge kasi sa linya din ng trabaho itong mga drug personalities na nadakip nila ay baka nag-retaliate once nagkaroon ng target of opportunities," Abrugena said.

He added that it is part of the dangers of their job as policemen that they become targets once they are out of service.

Abrugena, however, was quick to dispel fears that the attack on two cops should cause any alarm.

"I cannot consider this yet as alarming kasi isolated ang case na ito.  Those may be because sa intensity in our crackdown against illegal drugs na ang ibang kapulisan may threats and sometimes retired cops ang nagiging target.  Sometimes, they (drug suspects) will be avenging (the) loss in illegal drugs to target (the) cops," he said.

Abrugena said that the Talisay Police Station has been directed to check links between two cops, especially their activities prior to the incident.

He said it is also possible that the two victims were monitored.

He said they have eyewitnesses who can help in the probe but they will not be presented for interview in order not to risk the progress of the investigation.

Warning

Meanwhile, the warden of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) has warned other prison guards not to follow the incident involving an on-duty prison guard who left his post and was shot dead.

He explained that, once proven, a guard who left his post without permission can be dismissed from service.

“Ma-consider na sya nga serious neglect of duty,” said CPDRC Warden Reynaldo Valmoria.

Earlier, prison guard Jessie Castañares was shot around 2 a.m. last Sunday while he was on board his motorcycle and was only wearing civilian clothes.

Valmoria said that it is still unclear what Castañares was doing in the area where he was shot.

However, Valmoria believes that the prison guard may be on his way home as Castañares lives in the southern part of the metropolitan area.

Castañares’ duty was from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.  He was supposed to watch over inmate Jessie Uyanguran, who is admitted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

The inmate is detained for violation of RA 9165, commonly known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Valmoria added that the jail management has a desk officer who works 24/7, but was not informed before Castañares left the hospital where he was supposed to guard the inmate.

Castañares’ body was found in Guadalupe area, which was over a kilometer away from where he was supposed to be.

Valmoria said that the police investigation team is eyeing personal grudge as a possible motive of the crime.

This year, a total of three jail guards have been shot to death in two different instances. Both incidents happened under the administration of Valmoria.

“Nagkataon lang gyud na nga nahitabo,” Valmoria said.

He continued that he is steadfast in his efforts to cleanse CPDRC internally using methods prescribed by law and in the jail manual. (FREEMAN)