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Monday, March 10, 2003
Carnapping suspect killed in ‘shootout’ with cops
By Robert L. Bacasong
A SUSPECTED carnapper and his companion were killed in an alleged shootout with the police at 9:30 p.m. Saturday in front of the Coca-Cola Bottlers plant in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City.
One of their companions was arrested while a fourth companion escaped, said Senior Insp. Clarence Dongail, Police Station 7 commander, who led Station 7 operatives and the city police Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) in the operation.
Police identified the fatalities as Joebert Debulgado, 29, of Barangay Bluementritt, Murcia town; and Brendan Genovea, 24, of Grandville Subd., Barangay Granada, Bacolod City.
Apprehended was Crisanto Marquez, 26, also of Barangay Bluementritt, while fourth man who eluded arrest is still unidentified.
Debulgado’s family, however, suspects he was a victim of a set-up. The victim’s wife, Jocelyn, believes that the killing was meant to silence her husband or was an act of revenge as her husband has been a witness on a murder at the Reclamation Area.
They intend to file criminal charges against the policemen, she said.
Operation
Dongail said they waited for Debulgado’s group to pass by the area to convince them to surrender.
He added that the suspects have been tagged in the series of carnapping and robbery/hold-up incidents involving Indian nationals in Barangays Mansilingan and Alijis.
Debulgado was allegedly involved in the killing of Indian National Hardev Singh at the Primas Refreshment in Ilog last 2001. But he was later cleared by the court for lack of substantial evidence linking him to the slay.
First to shoot
Dongail said despite the negotiation for the suspects’ surrender, Debulgado’s group fired at them first, forcing the police to return fire resulting to the multiple gunshot wounds on the two suspects.
Their two companions were unharmed.
Police recovered from the crime scene the red Kymco motorcycle without Plate Number, but with Motor Number 2800196-RA30, one white Kawasaki KMX 125 with Chasis Number of MX125-A130-3238, a .45 caliber pistol with Serial Number 395317, a magazine with six live ammunition, an empty shell for a .45 caliber pistol, a black wallet, a photocopy of KMX, the keys for Kawasaki and Kymco, P7.75 in coins, homemade .38 caliber revolver without serial number, an empty shell for .38, three empty shells for .45, two deformed slugs for .45, a baseball cap, and black wallet containing driver’s license and identification card.
Set-up?
Debulgado’s wife, however, said her husband was heading toward Bangga Cory, Barangay Alijis, to return the motorcycle owned by an Indian national who has, for days, been negotiating with her husband to help him find his carnapped motorcycle.
The Indian national, she said, has requested her husband to bring the motorcycle to Bangga Cory where they will meet him.
Moreover, Jocelyn said Genovea simply hitchhiked with her husband in the motorcycle.
“Nag-angkas lang si Brendan kay nakita siya sang akon nga bana nga gabantay sang salakyan pakadto sa Bacolod tungod mapuli na ini siya sa Grandville” (My husband saw Brendan while he (Brendan) was waiting for a jeepney going to Grandville), said Jocelyn.
Joebert was just supposed to bring Brendan home in Grandville, the wife said.
She added her husband indeed carried a firearm - a homemade .38 revolver and not a .45 caliber pistol which police claimed her husband recovered from his possession.
Chargesd
The wife said they will wait for the autopsy report on her husband before they file charges against Dongail.
Dongail, however, will be transferred. He said he will be replaced by Insp. George Santander, Police Station 2 commander, as chief of Police Station 7.
But Senior Supt. George Bajelot, city police director, said the reshuffle was not because of the shootout but just part of the regular reshuffling at BCPO, said Bajelot.
(March 10, 2003 issue)
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