Rookie cop lynched while trying to arrest theft suspect

A POLICEMAN trying to arrest a theft suspect was mauled by a group of men outside a cockpit in barangay Ibabao-Estancia, Mandaue City.

PO1 Mar Expidito Villamonte sustained bruises all over the body.

Police said one of the alleged attackers was Zaldy Perez, a former councilor in barangay Banilad. The other suspects were identified as Raymondo Gala and Jonas Desoyo.

Gala was arrested after the incident.

Charges of direct assault and physical injuries have been filed before the Mandaue City Prosecutors’ Office against the four suspects.

According to the investigation, Villamonte and PO2 Jason Estrera, intelligence officers of the Centro police officers, went to the D&C Coliseum on Wednesday afternoon to conduct a follow-up operation on a burglary incident.

The two policemen went to the cockpit after receiving a report that the suspect Erwin Menderos, 37, was spotted there.

While parking their motorcycles, the two policemen spotted Menderos, a resident in the barangay outside the cockpit.

When the two policemen tried to arrest Menderos, Perez intervened and asked if Villamonte and Estrera were really policemen.

Perez was allegedly heard telling the policemen “Police kaha mo? Dili kaha mo police assets? (Are you really policemen or mere police assets?)”

A commotion then broke out until the two policemen were mauled.

Another policeman, PO2 Micheal Cortes, who happened to be in a nearby vulcanizing shop, rushed to the cockpit after noticing the commotion.

Cortes called for back-up. The beating stopped when a police car arrived.

Police said Menderos also joined mauling the policeman.

Aside from anti-dispatching charges, Menderos was also charged with direct assault and physical injuries, police said.

Banilad barangay captain Dianne Abanes confirmed that Perez served as a councilor in the barangay in 2007.