PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said Wednesday, March 27, that the police officer who was gunned down in the middle of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) in broad daylight on Tuesday was on President Rodrigo Duterte’s drugs watchlist, but was cleared in 2017.

Senior Master Sergeant Solomon Cugay, who was assigned at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), was gunned down Tuesday afternoon, March 26, by motorcycle-riding assailants while he was driving his motorcycle along Edsa, near Connecticut Street in Greenhills, San Juan City.

Albayalde said Cugay was among those on Duterte's drug watchlist released in 2016, but he was cleared in 2017.

“Nasa PRRD list siya before. But then again ‘yung motive sa pagkakabaril sa kanya, wala pang maliwanag doon. It’s still being investigated,” he said.

Albayalde said Cugay’s former involvement in drugs includes coddling or protecting illegal drug personalities, as well as recycling of illegal drugs being recovered in anti-drug operations.

“Baka meron siyang nasagasaan or baka meron siyang naging competitor before,” he said, adding that the killing may also be work-related.

NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar has ordered the creation of a special investigation task force to probe Cugay’s slay. (SunStar Philippines)