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Thursday, November 18, 2004
Joel Nodalo trades shots with police
By Garry Cabotaje
CEBU CITY -- In a scene that could have come from an action-packed film, Joel "Tongol" Nodalo, Cebu City's public enemy number one, traded gunshots with Pardo policemen in a brief motorcycle chase Wednesday dawn.
The incident came barely four months after Nodalo was released from the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center because he had bailed his way out of five criminal cases.
He was again arrested in October, but released after he put up bail on a case of illegal possession of firearms at the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor's Office.
The shootout happened Wednesday after lawmen set up a roadblock at 12:15 a.m. in front of the police station, following reports that armed men were seen in Tuyan, Naga, Cebu, riding a Cebu City-bound gray taxi (GVL-652).
Other reports said it was a black taxi with license plate GDL-652.
SPO4 Bernard Villarin, the team leader, believes the persons may have transferred from the taxi to a motorcycle while heading towards Cebu City.
Police responded to the request of Tuyan Barangay Captain Elmer Lapitan to set up a roadblock on the highway.
Minutes later, a motorcycle boarded by three persons-two men and a woman-arrived.
Police suspect that the woman was Nodalo's live-in partner Janice.
They wore no crash helmets.
PO3 Joel Sanchez and PO3 Herminio Seares signaled the motorists to pull over, but as they approached, Sanchez identified one of the riders as Nodalo.
Instead of stopping, the motorcycle driver sped off, leaving behind the policemen.
Chief Insp. Pedrillo Villamor, Pardo Police Station chief, said his five policemen-Sanchez, Seares, PO3 Daniel Tarucan, PO1 Joel Lacson and PO1 Felizardo Gallego-then chased the speeding motorcycle.
Sanchez rode his motorcycle while Seares and Lacson boarded the multicab patrol.
Upon reaching the jai alai complex in Mambaling, Cebu City, Nodalo allegedly pulled out his firearm and shot at the policemen.
This forced Sanchez to fire back using his 9 mm pistol.
But the motorcycle later disappeared when it entered Duljo-Fatima and Alaska, Mambaling.
It then sped off toward Tagunol and Inayawan.
In his haste to catch up with the motorcycle, Sanchez hit an unpaved portion of the street and fell.
The policeman suffered only bruises on his knee.
Sanchez believes the woman was wounded in the shootout because he saw her in an awkward position while holding on to Nodalo's arm.
But the police could not find Nodalo's live-in partner in a public hospital Wednesday dawn.
Supt. Pablo Labra, Cebu City Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau head, said Nodalo has gone back to his old ways, engaging in the illegal drug trade after he was released from jail this year.
Nodalo had even reportedly put up bail for two robbers tagged responsible for a heist across SM City months ago.
The police tagged Nodalo as the ninth most wanted person in Central Visayas and the number one most wanted man in Cebu City.
(November 18, 2004 issue)
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