A FORMER police officer and a drug surrenderer were shot dead in separate incidents in Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.
The former officer from the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), who worked as an inspector and collector of a security agency, was killed in Zone 6, Barangay Canduman around 9 a.m. yesterday. Police identified him as Rey Manatad, 46, a resident of Zone 1 in the same barangay.
PO3 Necaver Balberde of Mandaue Police Station 6 said that Manatad was collecting the daily time records of security guards of a printing company when two unidentified assailants came and shot him several times. The culprits wore helmets and rode a black motorcycle. Manatad was declared dead by a medical team who went to the crime scene.
Several empty shells and bullets were recovered. Chief Insp. Mercy Villaro, spokesperson of MCPO, said that Manatad, who had a rank of senior police officer 1, was found positive of illegal drugs during a drug test in MCPO last May 23, 2016. He was relieved and assigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit last July 5, 2016. He was relieved again and reassigned to the Police Regional Office of Cordillera.
While in Cordillera, he reportedly skipped work without an official leave. Villaro said that Mandatad was a frequent absentee even before the drug test. He reported when sent a return to work order, but would eventually be gone again, which was why he was made to undergo a drug test. She said a personal grudge from a co-worker of Manatad can be a possible motive for the shooting.
In Lapu-Lapu, Garneth Hiyas, 32, a drug surrenderer, was shot by unknown gunmen after he bought fish in the market in Sitio Datag, Barangay Maribago at 7 a.m. last Thursday. Hiyas, a resident of Sitio Abono in Barangay Pajac, was about to start his motorcycle when the gunman appeared behind him and shot him once in the head.
The suspect immediately rode a motorcycle, which someone else drove. Hiyas was brought to Lapu-Lapu City Hospital but was declared dead. Authorities were conducting follow-up operations to identify the culprits. (FMG)