Cop’s killers shot dead after resisting arrest

CEBU, Philippines — The two men being held responsible for the death of a policeman in Minglanilla town last Saturday were both shot dead after allegedly resisting policemen sent to arrest them.

Jesmer Languida Fernandez was shot dead around 5 a.m. last Monday in Sitio Cambuntan, Bolinawan, Carcar City, while Jessie Harold Manugas, 31, was shot dead in another operation in San Fernando town around 4 p.m. that same day.

Both are suspected behind the murder of Police Staff Sergeant Alfredo Pagaling, who was shot dead in Minglanilla last August 31.

Personnel from the Talisay Police Station, Minglanilla Police Station, Carcar Police Station, and Regional Special Operations Group conducted an operation to arrest Jesmer Languida Fernandez early morning last Monday, but Fernandez allegedly chose to shoot it out with them.

“According to the report of the operatives while they were approaching the house of Fernandez, he reportedly fired at the police prompting the operating team to respond,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Eloveo Marquez, Deputy Provincial Director for Operations, said during a press conference held in CPPO on Tuesday morning.

“Tungod ato, naigo ang atong suspek, then he was brought to the Carcar District hospital but he was declared dead on arrival,” Marquez added.

While the policemen were after Fernandez for the murder of Pagaling, the policemen after Manugas were there to arrest him for another case at the time.

The two suspects were allegedly involved in another shooting in Talisay prior to the murder of Pagaling. Upon seeing the patrol cars roving around in Minglanilla last Saturday, Fernandez, who was riding the motorcycle driven by Manugas, reportedly thought that it was a response to the earlier shooting they committed and he fired at Pagaling.

Police Captain June Tabigo-on, acting chief of the Minglanilla Police Station, said witnesses placed both suspects at the murder of Pagaling.

Tabigo-on also said the victim of the two suspects in Talisay positively identified Fernandez as his shooter. The victim is allegedly a member of a certain fraternity called Akrho while the two suspects are members of a certain fraternity called Tau Gamma.

Police now consider the murder of Pagaling solved. However, investigation will continue to determine the background of the suspects as Manugas is allegedly a hitman for his fraternity. — BRP (FREEMAN)