Cop dies, 3 hurt in gun attack

A POLICEMAN was killed while three others were wounded in a gun attack perpetrated by a man to avenge the death of his father in Zamboanga del Sur, the police reported Saturday.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Regional Office information officer-in-charge Dahlan Samuddin said the shooting happened around 6:30 a.m. Saturday at Sitio Caliemabato in the village of Poblacion, Margosatubig, Zamboanga Del Sur.

Samuddin identified the slain policeman as Police Officer 1 (PO1) Ryan Ponce.

Wounded were Ponce’s father, Leopoldo, and friend, Ruby Cantarona, and Roland Emaya, a security guard.

Police investigation showed that the suspect, Honey Alibasa, disarmed and shot Emaya, who was on duty at that time at the Margosatubig Regional Hospital.

Alibasa then proceeded to the house of PO1 Ponce who was then having a conversation with his father and Cantarona when the suspect arrived.

Samuddin said the suspect opened fire hitting PO1 Ponce, his father and Cantarona.

The suspect fled and remain at large, Samuddin said.

He said the motive of the incident is believed to be revenge since the suspect’s father was killed by the police 10 years ago. (Bong Garcia)