Family says slain cop got death threats

CEBU, Philippines — The policeman who was shot dead near Plaza Independencia in Cebu City Tuesday noon received death threats related to his personal life, according to his family.

This made the investigators believe that the attack against PO2 Kenneth Pogoy was not related to his job as a police officer.

“Niana ang family nga naa threat sa iya, sa personal life niya so dili related sa work,” Superintendent Ryan Devaras, chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

The victim’s father, retired policeman Samuel Pogoy, however, did not tell the investigators who threatened his son.

Pogoy was on his way home to Barangay Ermita from the Cebu City Hall of Justice at Quimonda I.T. Center when he was waylaid on M.J. Cuenco Ave. and shot dead by two unidentified assailants.

Pogoy reportedly came from a hearing on a drug case that he and his colleagues filed when he was still an operative of Pari-an police station.

 Devaras said that investigators are directed to trace Pogoy’s route as it is possible that the assailants had followed him from the court.

Investigators have recovered a footage from the closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) of a business establishment a few meters from the crime scene.

Devaras said that they will try to enhance the footage to get a clearer picture of the assailants. One of them was wearing a light blue shirt.

Investigators are also coordinating with the victim's latest assignment in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Pogoy joined the PNP in 2008 and was reassigned to ARMM in August 2016.

Senior Superintendent Remos Medina, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division, had said that Pogoy was transferred to ARMM for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Despite the information that Pogoy’s family gave, Senior Superintendent Joel Doria, director of CCPO, said they could not quickly discount the possibility that the attack was work related.

“Considering na nag-attend ng hearing and drug related case, check natin sino ang involved.  Isa iyan sa anggulong tinitingnan. Alam naman natin na hindi na naka-assign dito, so they were probably looking for an opportunity to get back at him. Work-related and personal grudge kasama na diyan,” Doria said.  —MBG (FREEMAN)