DAVAO CITY Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police to capture "dead or alive" the three remaining suspects in the bus robbery at Sitio Pagan Grande in Tamugan, Marilog District on September 1.
As of this posting Tuesday, two more have been arrested.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) chief Rene Aspera Monday night presented to the vice mayor the other suspects in the incident that resulted to the death of Senior Police Officer 1 Ronie Panganiban, of Marilog police.
Five suspects were presented wherein Duterte also aired his disappointment on certain guidelines imposed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to its personnel.
He also ordered the DCPO to capture "dead or alive" the remaining suspects who are still at large.
"I'd like the Human Rights (referring to the Commission on Human Rights), PNP, Office of the President to know that they have to be captured dead or alive… Maglagot ko makakita nga ang pulis namatay tungod kay walay baril (I hate to see a policeman dead just because he didn't have a gun)," Duterte said at the DCPO conference room.
Three suspects who remain at large are identified as certain Edwin alias Laug, a certain Mervin, and an alias Kirat.
Earlier arrested were Eduardo Getegan Priete, alias Eddie; Efren Serdilla Manguray, alias Itud; Rene Gulane Oracion, alias Nene, all were captured on September 4 in Bankerohan, Davao City.
A couple, identified as Cirilio and Carmen Alfeche, were also arrested on September 6 at their residence in Km. 20 Los Amigos. The suspects stayed at the couple's house while plotting the bus robbery.
Another suspect Ricky Pardillio, alias Aprat, was shot dead in a shootout with policemen who were out to arrest him at his residence in Bajada on September 2.
Pardillo was reported to have open fired at the arresting policemen prompting the same to shoot him.
Pardillo was pointed by other suspects as the brains behind the highway robbery and also the one who shot Panganiban.
Also presented were pieces of evidence from the suspects: a caliber 9mm Pitro Beretta with one magazine; a homemade cal. 357 with three live ammunition of caliber .357 and three live ammunition of caliber 38; a caliber .38 revolver with six live ammunition; a hand grenade; a Skygo motorcycle; a Sottas wrist watch (allegedly owned by a passenger); one unit Nokia 1661-2 (allegedly owned by passenger).
Recovered from Pardillo's house was a caliber .45 colt; an MK2 hand grenade; two units of Nokia cellular phones; and cash money worth P275.
DCPO's Investigation Detection and Management Section (IDMS) head Supt. Antonio Rivera earlier said Panganiban was on his way home with PO2 Diamela Bargayo.
The two police officers had just left their station around 7:30 p.m. and boarded a Rural Transit Bus.
Panganiban, in his uniform, settled himself on the fourth row of the driver's side while Bargayo, who was in civilian clothes, at the right back corner.
Rivera said upon reaching Sitio Pagan bridge, one of the suspects ordered the driver to stop as the gunman seated at the back of Panganiban declared a hold-up.
The driver of the bus, Noel Nicor, 44, said the perpetrator did not even finish his sentence before shooting Panganiban.
The vice mayor blew his top, expressing his dismay on the matter during his television show last Sunday. He reiterated on Monday that police officers should have their guns at all times even when they're off duty or in civilian clothes.
"DCPO bring your guns with you all the time by no stretch of imagination to follow Crame. A police is still with responsibility to protect the people even when he is off duty," Duterte said.
Meanwhile, City Mayor Sara Duterte said Tuesday the police should carry their guns when off duty "if it has the support of the police hierarchy."
The mayor agreed that the bus robbery was an eye opener for the PNP on what danger an officer faces when he's unarmed. (Jade C. Zaldivar)