Supect in cop’s slay try killed

Police said a barangay tanod believed to be involved in the shooting and wounding of a policeman in Talisay City was shot dead last Thursday night.

Police said Abundio Labitad, a 46-year-old tanod in barangay Lawaan 3, and Rommel Camasura of barangay Upper Mohon were shot by four unidentified assailants three hours after PO3 Arnold Damasco was shot and wounded in barangay Lower Mohon.

Police said Labitad died on the spot, while Camasura survived the attack. Camasura was brought to the Talisay District Hospital then moved to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

Witnesses identified Labitad and Camasura as the ones who waylaid Damasco at 3:45 p.m. last Thursday in barangay Lower Mohon, said Supt. Eddie Recamara, chief of the Talisay City police.

Damasco was driving a motorcycle with a female backrider when he was shot in the abdomen by a gunman on board a separate motorcycle.

Three hours after the shooting in Lower Mohon, Labitad and Camasura were shot in Ruiz Compound in barangay Tabunok.

Recamara said illegal drugs was the motive in the shooting of Damasco.

Recamara said Damasco received several death threats after the arrest of Albert Salim, a suspected big-time drug pusher in barangay Tanke.

Recamara said Labitad and Camasura were gun-for-hires who were connected to Tommy Echavez, the suspect in the killing of Atty. Raul Sesbreno’s wife.

Recamara said an investigation is underway to identify the assailants in the Tabunok shooting.

Recamara said they considered the case of Damasco closed since his alleged attackers were already identified.

Recamara said they are still pursuing three other persons involved in shooting Damasco.

Beta Labitad, wife of Abundio, refused to comment on the accusation that her husband was involved in the shooting of Damasco. She said she wasn’t aware what her husband had been doing to earn extra income./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC