Alleged gunman of Argao teacher shoots it out with pursuing cops

THE alleged gunman in the murder of a public school teacher in Argao town shot it out with police officers who wanted to arrest him in his house in Southern Cebu last Saturday.

Acting Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Erson Digal confirmed they were hunting down the gunman but he refused to say where.

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However, sources from Carcar City said a shooting happened in Barangay Valencia, Carcar around 4 p.m. Saturday.

Initial reports said a man was arrested and another got away. Digal did not confirm this, saying a hot pursuit was ongoing.

Digal said the alleged gunman was about to be arrested when he fired at police officers. This was after they received information on the person and were brought by a guide to his residence.

He said it was almost dark and they failed to catch up with him.

Digal said they have the identities of four persons believed to be guns-for-hire. They are not from Argao town but from other parts of Cebu.

He expects to file a murder charge within the week, saying the investigation is “75 percent” complete.

Romeo Duran was holding a class inside the Binlod Elementary School when he was shot dead in front of his grade six pupils.

Yesterday, Digal asked Cebu City Jail Warden Efren Nemeño for records of two persons who were formerly detained there.

He also plans to ask for records of two others from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

A cartographic sketch of a lookout showed one of them as being between 30 and 40 years old, 5’7” and 5’8” tall, having fair complexion. He was reportedly standing at the gate of the Binlod Elementary School smoking and wearing a green cap, black T-shirt, sunglasses and a pair of shorts.

As for the gunman, two separate sketches were made based on descriptions of two different witnesses.

He is described as being 29 to 30 years old, 5’4” tall, chubby, has fair complexion and had rough skin because of pimples.

He had a spiderweb tattoo on his nape.

The only difference between the two sketches is that in one of these, the gunman is wearing a baseball cap. (MEA)