EX-COP GUNNED DOWN: Victim linked to slain suspected drug lord

THE killings continue.

Another murder case involving motorcycle-riding gunmen hit Iloilo City early morning of Nov 20, 2018.

This time, the assailants aimed at a retired police officer.

Ronaldo Alag, who held a rank of Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) before retiring from the PNP, was peppered with bullets while driving his Nissan Urvan van at Fortunata Street in Barangay Villa Anita, City Proper district.

The incident happened 8:14 a.m. as the 57-year-old Alag was on his way to a brother’s house.

Alag was the brother of Villa Anita Barangay Captain Fernando Alag. Another sibling was the former village chief of the same barangay.

Closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footages showed how the shooting happened.

As Alag slowed down to negotiate a sharp turn, the two motorcycle-riding assailants kept up with the former cop.

The back rider alighted from the bike and quickly sprayed bullets on the van’s driver side.

The motorcycle driver drove around two meters before the gunman hopped on. They then fled on board a violet Yamaha Mio motorcycle.

Another motorcycle rider who was tailing Alag’s vehicle appeared was taken aback by the incident and drove away from the scene.

After the burst of gunfire, residents quickly rushed to check and saw the bullet-riddled van.

A resident immediately drove Alag’s van to Iloilo Doctor’s’ Hospital.

The victim he was declared dead at around 8:37 a.m. after suffering 13 gunshot injuries on his body.

He sustained wounds on the right portion of his neck, on the right shoulder, three on the right armpit, and one the left armpit. He had also injuries on the right back portion of his chest, two on the left shoulder, and four on the left back portion of his chest.

Superintendent Jonathan Pablito, Iloilo City Police Station 1 commander, said they recovered eight empty shells from the crime scene and six fired bullets inside the van.

Just like in previous riding-in-tandem killings, the two suspects wore crash helmets to hide their faces.

ON THE WATCH LIST? 

The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) said Alag joined the police service on Aug. 6, 1982 and opted to retire on Jan. 31, 2009.

Superintendent Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesman, said records from the Regional Intelligence Division indicated that Alag was linked to the Odicta Drug Group.

“He was considered as a protector. Thus, he was classified as high value target (HVT) Level 2 drug personality,” Malong said.

Alag was also on the PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) list of suspected illegal drug personalities.

His last assignment was the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) before he retired.

Malong said Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, Western Visayas police chief, ordered a thorough investigation on the incident.

A retired police officer who requested anonymity claimed that Alag was told to be wary as there were plans to liquidate him.

“I don’t know for what purpose but I think he was told to be vigilant,” he added.

The source claimed Alag was admonished by former PRO-6 regional director Isagani Cuevas because he was frequently seen tagging along with slain suspected drug group leader Melvin Odicta, Sr.

“But I haven’t heard that he was into illegal activities lately because he knew that several people he used to know were killed,” he added.

According to reports, Alag was into the frozen foods business. He also supplied pork meat at the Mandurriao Public Market.

TARGETS 

Previous victims of motorcycle-riding assassins in Iloilo City were either Tokhang surrenderees or were linked to the narcotics trade.

The latest fatality prior to Alag was killed on Nov. 7, 2018 in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Marvin Vasquez, 34, of Zone 3, Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao, was sitting on the roadside at Barangay Taft North around 5:54 p.m. when two motorcycle-riding men shot him.

Vasquez was the subject of Oplan Tokhang in 2016.

Senior Superintendent Martin Defensor, Iloilo City police director, earlier confirmed that they have yet to resolve the series of killings in the city.

Prior to Vasquez, a barangay tanod who surrendered through Oplan Tokhang was gunned down in broad daylight at Barangay Calubihan, Jaro, Iloilo City on Oct. 5.

Neil Resma, 38, was washing his motorcycle around 9:15 a.m. of Oct. 5, 2018 when two motorcycle-riding suspects also repeatedly shot him.

Resma was considered a high-value target (HVT) Level 1 being a barangay tanod of Bakhaw, Mandurriao.

A few days before Resma’s killing, Defensor already expressed worries that motorcycle-riding killings would end up as cold statistics.

Before assuming as ICPO chief on Sept. 12, Defensor said he will resolve murders involving motorcycle-riding assassins.

On Sept. 7, two Tokhang surrenderers were killed in a span of 10 hours.

Both Rolando Puda and Don Azucena were killed by riding-in-tandem gunmen.

Azucena, 39, was killed by still unidentified men at Barangay Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City at around 9:25 a.m. when an armed man repeatedly shot him. He died on the spot from multiple gunshot injuries on the body and head.

Meanwhile, Puda, 41, was killed near his house at Barangay Ingore, La Paz.

Four days later, a tricycle driver was killed at around 5:00 p.m. at Barangay Tacas, Jaro District.

Gerardo Mamarion, 25, was peppered with bullets several meters away from their house

All three incidents were perpetrated even in the presence of several witnesses and bystanders.

Police claimed Mamarion was into shabu peddling.

SOURCE: The Daily Guardian

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