Bulacan cop’s slay: PNP releases sketch of town cop chief killer

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have released the composite sketch of one of the suspects in the killing of Lt. Col. Marlon Serna, chief of the San Miguel police in Bulacan, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced yesterday.

Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the PNP, said the Central Luzon police released the sketch, which was based on the description of one of the victims of a robbery incident in Barangay San Juan, San Miguel town, which Serna and his men responded to on Saturday night.

“The victim gave the description (to the police), hoping it could lead to the identity of the suspect. For now, the PNP is focusing on several leads,” Fajardo told journalists in Filipino yesterday.

The victim told police that he grappled with and hit the suspect in the head.

“This is one of the several leads being looked into by the investigators. During the hot pursuit operation, the officers saw the backrider bleeding,” Fajardo said, referring to motorcycle-riding men who engaged the officers in a shootout that killed Serna.

Fajardo said when the suspects were cornered in nearby Barangay Buhol na Mangga, Serna approached the motorcyle-riding men, who reportedly drew their guns, triggering an encounter.

A bullet hit Serna in the head. A minor was wounded in the crossfire.

Probers are checking footage of a closed-circuit television camera installed at the scene of the firefight to possibly identify the plate number of the suspects’ motorcycle, Fajardo said.

Serna’s remains lie in state at his home in Barangay Soledad in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija.

Capt. Frank Sindac, information officer of the Nueva Ecija police, said the provincial police would lend support to any plan for the wake and burial of the slain officer.

Serna had served as police chief of Aliaga and Cabiao towns in Nueva Ecija.

Earlier, Maj. Norheda Usman, information officer of the Bulacan police, told The STAR that probers were eyeing two “persons of interest” in the killing of Serna.

Usman refused to give details about the “persons of interest” as Col. Relly Arnedo, Bulacan police director, was conducting a case conference at the time.

Task group formed

A special investigation task group has been created to investigate the killing and identify the killers of Serna.

Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr., Central Luzon police director, said he instructed Arnedo to conduct a deeper investigation into the case.

Arnedo said a P1.2 million reward has been offered in exchange for any information that could lead to the identities and arrest of the suspects.

Of the amount, P500,000 will be given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.– Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ric Sapnu