Retired cop gunned down in Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar – A former intelligence officer of the Samar police was gunned down Tuesday by two unidentified suspects near the Provincial Capitol building in Catbalogan City.

The police identified the victim as Police Senior Inspector Severino Solis, 60, a retired police officer and resident of said city.

Police Inspector Romuel Nacar, media relations officer of the Eastern Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO), said that based on reports, Solis was about to leave after playing at the tennis court located just behind the Samar provincial capitol building when two unidentified men approached and shot the victim.

The gunmen were in their mid 20’s and could be members of the Special Partisan Unit of the New People’s Army (NPA), the police official said.

Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria immediately sent directives to the Samar police to conduct a thorough investigation on the incident.

According to Nacar, police investigators are looking on several angles to determine the motive behind this latest killing.

“He (Solis) has neutralized several private goons and illegal drug pushers in Samar during his time as intelligence officer. Some of those groups may still be holding grudges against him,” Nacar said.

The police are also looking at the motive of business competition, as it was learned that Solis has entered into the contracting business when he retired in 2009. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)