Ex-Toril police chief: Drug suspect killed in legit ops

By Funny Pearl A. Gajunera
Former Toril Police Station commander Superintendent Angel Sumagaysay yesterday stood by his assertion that the death of drug suspect Rolando Locabarte last year was the result of a legitimate operation.
He said he will wait for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to finish its investigation on the murder case. The NBI had said it is studying the possibility of filing administrative charges against Sumagaysay for his alleged involvement in the killing.
“Hulaton lang nato ang imbestigasyon sa NBI, basta kami mubarog mi nga legitimate operation tong pagka patay sa iyaha (Let’s just wait for the result of the investigation. As for us, we stand by our assertion that his death was the result of a legitimate operation),” Sumagaysay said.
Sumagaysay led the team from Toril Police Station that was serving the warrant of arrest on Locabarte on April 10 last year in Silka Street, Saypon, Toril, Davao City.
Locaberte was the seventh most wanted person in the station. Witnesses said he did not have a gun during the incident.
An NBI agent, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the agency is still awaiting the result of the ballistic examination to determine if the slug recovered from body of the victim matches with the service firearm of a police officer from the Toril Police Station.
The agent said they are convincing another eyewitness who can testify that a gun was planted on Locabarte after the killing.
“We are on the process of convincing another witness to speak. Allegedly this witness saw that the police just placed the gun beside Locaberte’s body,” the agent said.
The agent also said that based on the NBI’s initial investigation, Locaberte do not have a gun during the police operation.
The agent said if proven true, the NBI may file an administrative case against Sumagaysay.
Witnesses named Police Officer (PO) 2 Ric John Borja and PO3 Rico Adlawan as the people responsible for the killing of Locaberte.