These were the yells PO2 Darius Conejos heard moments before gunshots rang out and he saw his partner, SPO1 Pedro Sucion, fall Sunday dawn in Mandaue City, as they tried to stop three robbery suspects.
Conejos’ recollections—including the suspects’ yells to finish Sucion off, shoot him in the head and steal his gun—are narrated in his affidavit, which police attached yesterday to the robbery with homicide complaint filed against the suspects.
The police also relied on an affidavit from tricycle driver Belmar Arnado, who like Conejos said he saw suspect Lauro “Jogro” Lumapas shoot and kill Sucion. Robbery with homicide is a heinous offense, for which no bail is allowed.
Investigators also filed a robbery with serious physical injury complaint against the same suspects—Lumapas, Leo de la Victoria and Jonathan Samson—for repeatedly shooting Conejos.
Still loose
The wounded officer remained in the hospital yesterday. Lumapas and Samson are now detained, but de la Victoria remains at large.
Conejos said he already knew Lumapas and de la Victoria prior to the incident as the two had previous cases with the Mandaue City Police Office.
Conejos and taxi driver Arnel Quibot also discussed in their affidavits the alleged involvement of Samson.
Though they did not know his name at the time of the shooting, they later recognized him as the one with Lumapas during the robbery and shooting at the reclamation area.
The three suspects allegedly boarded Quibot’s taxi and then robbed him when they reached a secluded area in front of the Cebu International Convention Center at 2:30 a.m. last Sunday.
Intercepted
After taking P2,100 from Quibot, they boarded a passing tricycle that Arnado drove, for their getaway.
It was at this point that Sucion and Conejos stopped the tricycle, so Lumapas shot the two, killing Sucion and seriously hurting Conejos.
The suspects then fled on foot. Lumapas and Samson were captured during a police follow-up operation last Jan. 8 in Barangay Day-as, Cebu city.
Investigators also submitted yesterday the affidavits of Charlene Sucion, wife of the slain policeman; and the joint affidavit of the arresting team led by Insp. Rainero Cortes.
As part of the evidence, they submitted a laboratory request on the .38 revolver taken from Lumapas, a .38 revolver taken from Samson, Sucion’s death certificate, Conejos’ medical certificate and Sun.Star Cebu news clippings.
Admission
During the inquest proceedings yesterday, Lumapas again admitted to Assistant City Prosecutor Bienvenido Mabanto that he shot Sucion and Conejos when the lawmen stopped their tricycle. (He first made the admission when presented to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.)
Mabanto corrected him at one point, saying that two different guns were used, but Lumapas said he only used his .38 paltik (unlicensed) revolver.
Police have yet to get the PNP Crime Laboratory’s findings on the slugs taken from Sucion and Conejos.
Based on Conejos’ affidavit, the law enforcers approached the tricycle from two directions: Sucion approaching in front of the driver and Conejos from the left side.
Conejos said he was then shot, causing him to fall on the pavement.
He heard more shots and saw Sucion fall in the middle of the road. He then saw one of the suspects approaching the fallen officer, even as he heard someone say, “Uy si Peter man diay ni. Tiwasi! (It’s Peter! Finish him off!).”
In his affidavit, Conejos said he then saw one of the suspects pickup the 9 mm pistol of Sucion. The pistol was later turned over to a Lorega barangay councilor by a couple introduced as Lumapas’ neighbors in Barangay Day-as, Cebu City.
For his part, the taxi driver confirmed after seeing de La Paz’s photograph that he was part of the heist; he also recognized Lumapas and Samson as the ones who allegedly held him up last Sunday. (OCP)
