ILOILO – Despite recent successive robberies and killings, Police Colonel Adrian Acollador, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), still enjoys the trust and confidence of Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
The governor said he is aware of the IPPO’s efforts to solve the crimes.
Defensor keeps tabs with the progress of the investigations.
He also acknowledged the police’s accomplishments in the campaign against illegal drugs, illegal gambling, illegal fishing, arrest of wanted persons, and other forms of criminality.
Harrowing crimes
Between Sept. 10 to 15, five persons were killed in three separate crimes.
On Sept. 10, at around 4 p.m., security guard Wilson Gait of Carles, Iloilo was shot dead in the waters of the town’s Barangay Bito-on. He and his four companions were robbed by four armed men.
Before the robbery, the victim and his three fellow security guards, all from Carles, withdrew P320,000 for the salary of employees on Sicogon Island.
Investigations revealed that the security guards were on board a motorbanca when one of the suspects, who identified himself as Jerry Dela Cruz, asked if he could hitch a ride.
Gait was shot in the head and chest while Gait’s three other companions jumped into the water.
Dela Cruz got the bag containing the money and swam over to the banca with the other gunmen. The police have yet to identify the robbers.
On Sept. 14, at 12:30 a.m., three young businessmen were shot dead in Barangay Villa Pani-an, Estancia. The gunmen were believed to have fled with over P7 million.
The fatalities were John Paul Bosque, Chrysler Floyd Fernandes and Mark Libao, all residents of Iloilo City. Their other companion, Jevron Parohinog of Estancia, survived the attack unharmed.
A day after, on Sept. 15, 44-year-old delivery truck driver Jerry Faldas was shot to death by robbers in Barangay Pasig, Lambunao town, while his two companions were wounded.
Lambunao police chief, Police Major Jogen F. Suegay, said the truck was from the town’s Barangay Jayubo; they were stopped by unidentified gunmen in Barangay Pasig.
The robbers carted away an estimated P591,000 in cash.
Responsibility over reward
Meanwhile, Defensor does not believe that the IPPO needs reward money in pursuit of the suspect/s of the three businessmen killed in Estancia.
He explained that with or without a reward, the IPPO’s job to investigate crimes continues.
“I know, without the reward, the PNP will do their job. I’ve spoken with the provincial director and I have given my directives nga to pursue this case so much so that mapanilagan naton kon ano ang ginhalinan,” said Defensor.
The governor added that a reward system is only offered by the government once a crime involves the public’s interests and if the suspect(s) is/are considered a public enemy or of high value.
For the case of the three businessmen/friends, Defensor said that the root cause and motive of their deaths are not yet determined since investigations are still ongoing./PN
