Shooting suspect killed by cop

The man who went on a shooting rampage in barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, last Friday was shot dead by a policeman and not by a civilian bystander.

PO2 Lester Miñoza of the Mobile Patrol Group (MPG) admitted shooting Wilfredo Beroja, according to Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB).

It was earlier reported here that one of the bystanders fired back at Beroja’s group.

Miñoza, who lives in the neighborhood, was at home when he heard bursts of gunfire.

The policeman ran outside to check and saw Beroja, who was about to board his motorcycle to flee.

Beroja, who lives in barangay Carreta, was hit in the nape and fell on the ground while his three companions drove off.

It was not immediately known that it was Miñoza who shot the man because the policeman joined in the hot-pursuit operation.

Santander said Beroja was identified by his wife Maria Fe.

Police are looking into the possibility that the slain man was a gun-for-hire.

Messages in Beroja’s cell phone indicated that he had a target in the area, said Santander.

There were also text messages in the man’s cell phone where Maria Fe had asked him to stop his activities, Santander said.

Santander said it was possible that Beroja went to sitio Gun Club to look for a certain Erwin Pedro, with whom he had a grudge.

Pedro was arrested last Thursday after he was found carrying an Ingram machine pistol.