WITH no one to sue in the case involving the fatal shooting of three men in Barangay Lawaan 3 in Talisay City last Thursday, May 16, police have considered it closed.

Not only was the suspect identified, he was also neutralized, said Talisay City Police Deputy Chief Ardiolito Cabagnot.

Dean Torefranca, a retired member of the US Marines, shot dead his stepson Jed Ybañez and Lawaan 3 Barangay Captain Jimmy Bartilic, who was only at the scene to help settle the family dispute.

Torefranca was later killed by police after a shootout that lasted almost two hours.

Cabagnot said Torefranca was originally from Bohol.

“He was not a foreigner by blood, The surname Torefranca has its roots in Bohol. Maybe he acquired foreign citizenship because he previously worked with the US Marines. This was confirmed by his brother-in-law Buboy Omaña,” Cabagnot said in Cebuano.

Meanwhile, the police official denied that Torefranca’s death was a case of overkill.

A composite team of almost 50 police officers from different units responded to the incident.

The Talisay police were backed up by their counterparts in Mandaue City, members of the Special Weapons and Tactics of the Cebu City Police Office and a team from the Regional Special Operations Group 7. Police Regional Office 7 Director Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas also went to the area to manage the “crisis.”

“A lot of police officers arrived at the scene but only a few engaged Torefranca. The rest served as security on the ground. They had to keep the civilians out of harm’s way. Many had arrived to check out what was happening. We had to call for assistance since our men, who only carried short firearms, were up against Torefranca’s AK-47,” Cabagnot said in Cebuano.

He said they had yet to determine if Torefranca’s high-powered firearm was acquired legally.

He said they are working with Camp Crame to trace the seal number.

Cabagnot also denied that there was a failure of intelligence on their part.

“We didn’t have first-hand information on Torefranca’s background. Prior to the incident, there were no reports of him carrying or brandishing firearms in the neighborhood,” he said in Cebuano. (WBS)