Cops shoot down slay suspect

A murder suspect was killed after he shot it out with policemen serving an arrest warrant in his house in barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.

Joselito Cortes, 41, a former barangay tanod, died with multiple gunshot wounds in the body.

SPO1 Tirso Plania was wounded in the shoulder during the shootout. Another policeman, SPO3 Jerson Rosende, was hit in the stomach but escaped unhurt  since he wore a bulletproof vest.

Armed with an arrest warrant, Insp. Luis Alama, chief of the Canduman police, and his men rushed to Cortes’ house in sitio Bombil after receiving a tip that the man was spotted there at 8:45 p.m. last Tuesday.

When they arrived at the suspect’s home, the policemen knocked on the door but Virginia Cortes, the suspect’s wife, refused to open it, forcing the police to barge in.

Police said Cortes ran outside through the backdoor. A chase ensued.

Police said that during the chase, Cortes fired twice at the chasing policemen, hitting Plania and Rosende.

Police returned fire and hit Cortes several times.

Recovered from Cortes were one  .38 home-made revolver with two empty shells and a .45 pistol with seven bullets.

Alama said they are planning to file charges against Cortes’ wife for interfering in the operation.

“She clearly helped the suspect escape,” said Alama.

Virginia cried overkill but didn’t say whether she will file charges against the policemen.

“Sobra ra pud kaayo ang iyang mga igo (The gunshots were too much),” said Virginia.

Cortes was accused of killing a female neighbor in October 2009.

Police said the victim Maricel Roli and Virginia figured in an argument and were brought to the barangay hall for a mediation hearing.

Roli reported to the police that  she was attacked by Cortes when they crossed paths.

Police said Roli was walking home when she was shot by Cortes, according to witnesses.

Police said Cortes was a former informant of police station 6.

Fearing for their safety, Roli’s husband and children transferred to another place at the time when Cortes was still at large./CORRESPONDENTS NORMAN V. MENDOZA AND FE MARIE D. DUMABOC