THE police formally charged the suspects in the killing of Traffic Enforcer Cris Cabingas of the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) before the City Prosecutor's Office Thursday afternoon, January 5.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Director Ronnie Francis Cariaga identified the suspects as Alex Tiro Masacal, 34, and an unidentified cohort.
“Filed na ang case against aka Alex Masacal. Wala nay pursuit operation kay mao advice sa lawyers kay dili na ma-apply ang warrantless arrest (A case is already filed against aka Alex Masacal. There was no pursuit operation as advised by the lawyers since the warrantless arrest cannot be applied),” Cariaga said.
The police director said the police had a hard time tracking the location of Masacal since the suspect has no known permanent address.
Cariaga is also verifying other alleged previous cases against Masacal.
“Ang John Doe for identification pa, kauban na niya. Nangita pa ta pamaagi nga ma-identify. Si Alex kay mao principal suspect sa pagpatay (His cohort is still for identification. We are still looking for ways to identify him. Alex is the principal suspect for killing),” Cariaga said.
“Atong tan-awon kung active pa ang iyang mga kaso (We have to verify if his cases are still active),” he added.
Cabingas was walking along Guillermo St. in Cogon public market to monitor the traffic situation there when a gunman on board a motorcycle shot him from behind three times around 6 p.m. on December 30.
He died early Saturday morning, December 31.
Cariaga urged market vendors to remain calm as RTA personnel re-launched their campaign to clear the sidewalks around the city-run Cogon public market.
RTA personnel cleared the sidewalks and removed the structures built by the vendors for the last two days where the police provide security during the clearing operations.
“Hangyo lang sa mga vendors nga mahinahon lang kay para mani sa kaayuhan sa tanan (I’m asking for the vendors to cooperate since it is for the benefit of all),” Cariaga said.
The RTA is mulling the creation of a new traffic scheme in the streets around the public market, the busiest in the city.