Police officer killed in Ilocos ambush

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – A police officer enroute to his duty at the Batac town police station was killed by motorcycle- riding gunmen Sunday.

Police Inspector Jimmy Ulep immediately died when gunmen peppered him with bullets along in Barangay Bungon, along the national highway to Batac town. Ulep reportedly suffered a fatal wound on his head from a .45 caliber pistol.

Police investigators initially said Ulep’s Toyota Corolla was tattered with bullets from a .45 caliber firearm from two motorcycle-riding gunmen whose identities police has yet to uncover. Crime scene investigators found 16 slugs of a .45 caliber firearm.

Sunday’s ambush is yet the latest grizzly shooting incident in Batac and elsewhere in the province even as crime drives of the Ilocos Norte police remain challenged by incidents. Last month in the nearby tourist town of Paoay, a string of break-ins by a supposed “professional syndicate” victimizing well-to-do families in the town were reported.

Police had instituted checkpoints since then but residents and robbery victims are very worried while police have not yet arrested the syndicate members. Ilocos Norte police director Senior Superintendent Benjamin Lusad vowed to get to the bottom of the criminality in the northern province but such efforts are stiffly being challenged by grizzly crimes.