ILOILO City – A man who allegedly refused to stop at a police checkpoint in Barangay Zerrudo, Sara, Iloilo was shot dead by the police after a brief chase late night on Tuesday.
Killed was 27-year-old Adonis Hontiveros Jr. of Barangay Pinantan Elizalde, Ajuy, Iloilo. He sustained a gunshot wound on the back.
Sara municipal police station chief Captain Ascencion Ortizo said the suspect, who was on board a motorcycle with a 17-year-old back rider, ignored a checkpoint in the said village. Elizalde allegedly halted his motorcycle and drove back.
This prompted the police to chase him.
Ortizo said the suspect fired at the police personnel who gave chase, prompting the police to fire back.
One of the three police officers – Corporal Alfredo Bartolo – shot the victim.
Elizalde was rushed to the Sara District Hospital where the attending physician declared him “dead on arrival.”
Police were able to recover a .45-caliber pistol and three empty shells.
Bartolo and his two companions Corporal Christopher Paclibar and Patrolman Jan Miachel Parsia were relieved by Police Provincial director Colonel Roland Vilela.
They are now under the custody of the Sara Police Station while they are under investigation.
“Maybe he was afraid that he will be arrested because he has a gun that’s why he tried to escape from the police. Before the shootout happened, his minor back rider was able to jumped off from the motorcycle,” Ortizo said.
“Corporal Bartolo explained that they only want to protect themselves and they were already in imminent danger because the person they were chasing was armed and dangerous,” Ortizo said.
Hontiveros and his minor companion came from Barangay Poblacion Sara reportedly for a drinking spree and on their way to Ajuy town when they were flagged down. Elizalde just recently came home from Manila.
Ortizo said that the police conducted a 24-hour checkpoint in response of the directive of Vilela to hold checkpoint in order to intercept guns, explosives and other weapons that could be used in crimes./PN
