‘Hitman’ of Barok Alvaro killed in Danao ‘shootout’

AN alleged hitman of detained “drug lord” Alvaro “Barok” Alvaro was killed in a shootout inside a police office in Danao City past midnight yesterday.

PO1 Gypsy Miro, desk officer, identified the fatality as Jerandy Mediquillo Montes, who succumbed to three gunshot wounds in the body.

He said investigators theorized that Montes was possibly mad at intelligence operatives, who are active in the anti-illegal drug campaign in Danao City.

Before the alleged shootout happened, Miro said Montes arrived in the temporary Danao City Police Station on Rizal St. around 11:30 a.m. last Monday.

Montes pretended to be a member of the military. He was wearing an army shirt, camouflage pants and combat boots.

He came looking for three intelligence officers---SPO1 Reynante Manulat, PO3 Phil Restauro and PO2 Mark Anthony Mata.

Supt. Jaime Quiocho Jr., the city police chief, said he received reports that Montes had promised to kill the three intelligence personnel for trying to arrest him for holding his wife captive sometime in 2015. Montes escaped arrest.

In May 2015, Montes allegedly shot dead Jose Manulat and the latter’s wife.

Yesterday, Montes went to the old police station, which was burned in January 2015, in Barangay Poblacion.

He went inside the intelligence unit’s office located at the back of the old police station. He asked about the three officers’ whereabouts.

Mata, who was with P01 Arzie Hill Biatingo , did not identify himself. He told the suspect that Manulat and Restauro were not around.

The intelligence officer then called the attention of other police officers about the presence of a suspicious-looking man.

While they were on their way out of the office, Montes allegedly drew out his firearm and opened fire.

The police officers, including Mata, took cover and retaliated, hitting Montes. A .45 pistol was recovered from him and it will be submitted to Regional Crime Laboratory Office for ballistics examination to determine if Montes had really fired the gun.

They brought Montes to the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City, but the attending doctor declared him dead on arrival.

Personnel from the Scene of the Crime Operation team processed the crime scene. Restauro, Biatingo and Montes were subjected to paraffin test. (KAL)