The suspect in the brutal killing of a six-year-old girl found in Matina Pangi here last month was shot by police after he allegedly attempted to grab the pistol of a policeman who was conducting inspection inside the detention cell on Tuesday morning.
Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Spokesperson Sr. Insp. Maria Teresita Gaspan said that suspect, Rico Jay Labao, was killed after he attempted to grab the service pistol of a personnel of the Talomo Police Station during the conduct of Oplan Galugad around 9:00 a.m. of October 16.
“Part man na sa among operation ang Oplan Galugad aron maglimpyo og mag inspection sa mga selda (Oplan Galugad is part of our police operation by inspecting the and cleaning our detention cells),” she said.
Gaspan said prior to the shooting, some people observed the suicidal tendency of Labao during his detention after he admitted to the killing of Christine Angel Tino Laquinario, of Morio-Morio, Km. 8.5, Matina Pangi.
Labao was brought to Davao Adventist Hospital but was later declared dead on arrival.
Gaspan said that even if there are witnesses that the suspect attempted to snatch the cop’s pistol, an investigation will still be conducted.
She said the Internal Affairs Service of DCPO are now starting a motu propio investigation to determine if there are possible lapses on the part of the police officers.
Initially, it was Labao who reported the crime but police found that his testimony was inconsistent — with his house having several wires similar to the ones found on the victim.
Upon his detention, he admitted the crime in front of the parents of slain victim which was witnessed by several Davao reporters.
The next day however, Labao denied the crime saying that he is not the one who killed the girl.
Allegedly, the suspect accused that she might have been raped before killing her but it was not established since the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 11 (RCLO 11) could not process an autopsy as the body was already in the state of decomposition.
Despite that, the Talomo Police Station still filed a murder case against Labao which is now already in court.
