POLICE FILES

‘SUPPORTERS HELP WANTED MAN ESCAPE’

THE most wanted man in Central Visayas continued to be elusive because of supporters.

Rodrigo Labitad, who is facing multiple murder charges, has formed a criminal group that helped him elude several arrests, said Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

Last Tuesday afternoon, police tried but failed to arrest Labitad in barangay Pamutan, Cebu City.

Labitad escaped by running to the forested area.

Police said Labitad was wounded during the operation and could die from the injuries unless treated in a hospital.

Bloodstains were found in some trees.

Police are checking hospitals where the man could possibly seek treatment.

Police said a carbine and three hand grenades were recovered in the man’s hideout.

During the operation, police said Labitad was seen a few meters from his hideout.

When he saw the arriving policemen, Labitad tried to run to his house to get his firearms but police opened fire./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON

MAN SHOOTS SIS-IN-LAW

A 42-YEAR-OLD woman was shot and wounded by her 72-year-old brother-in-law inside her house in barangay Yati, Liloan town, northern Cebu.

Virginia Lanaban, an employee of Cebu Mitsumi Inc. in Danao City, was wounded in the chest.

The suspect, Gerardo Pepito, surrendered to the police after the incident. Pepito came from a drinking session before the shooting occurred last Tuesday night.

Police said Pepito arrived at the victim’s house in sitio Kawayanan looking for his wife, Elma, 39.

Police said Elma left home after she and Pepito fought. The couple had been fighting in the past few days because the man was jealous of the woman’s 33-year-old nephew.

At the house of Lanaban, the victim told Pepito that Elma went to their piggery.

Police said Lanaban asked what did Pepito do to her sister.

Police said Pepito got irked, drew a . 38 revolver and shot the woman.

Lanaban was brought to the Eversley Child Sanitarium Hospital in Mandaue City. She was later transferred to a hospital in Cebu City.

Police said Pepito admitted the crime when he surrendered./CORRESPONDENT RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL

’ROBBER’ MAULED, NABBED

A MAN was arrested after a jeepney robbery in barangay Tabunok, Talisay City, southern Cebu, last Tuesday afternoon.

Reagan Samsung, 27, was mauled by bystanders after he allegedly robbed a female jeepney passenger.

Police said Samsung robbed Airen Conception, 33, at gunpoint when the jeepney they rode on reached the Tabunok flyover.

The suspect took the woman’s cell phone and hurriedly got off the jeepney.

Bystanders, however, noticed the commotion and helped collar Samsung.

A badly beaten Samsung was turned over to the police./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC