Police captain killed, sergeant wounded in shootout

CEBU, Philippines — A police captain of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 (CIDG-7) was killed while another was injured in a shootout with three suspects, during a police surveillance operation in Sitio Balaw, Barangay Sudlon 2, Cebu City at around 6 p.m. Saturday (October 25).

The fallen officer was identified as Police/Captain Joel Deiparine, while the injured was Police/Executive Master Sergeant (PEMS) Artchel Tero, both assigned at the CIDG Regional Field Unit (RFU) 7.

Initial investigation of the CIDG RFU-7 showed that, before the incident, Deiparine and Tero were on a motorcycle conducting surveillance on a certain Jun Manto, the subject of their Oplan “Paglalansag Omega.”

Manto, a resident of that barangay, has an arrest warrant for alleged involvement in illegal gun running activities, and a gun-for-hire group.

On that fateful night, Manto was riding a pick-up truck with his two companions, identified as Renante Manto and a John Doe.

When the three noticed that the motorcycle, ridden by the two policemen, was trailing them and was about to close in on them, they quickly veered their vehicle to cut off the motorcycle, then opened fire at the policemen.

A shootout ensued when the policemen fired back at the suspects. Shortly after, Deiparine fell to the roadside after being hit several times on the body, including one to his face, while Tero sustained minor wound injuries.

Police personnel from the nearby Cebu City Police Station 12 responded, but the suspects had already fled from the scene.

Deiparine was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center but physicians there declared him dead on arrival. Tero, on the other hand, is now recovering from the gunshot wounds he got from the shootout.

The CIDG-7, in coordination with the Cebu City Police Office, is currently conducting an investigation by tracing the events before and after the shootout.

A hot pursuit operation has also been launched to locate and arrest the suspects, who still remain at large, as of press time. — /RAE (FREEMAN)