South Cotabato cop shot dead, 3 companions wounded

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato—Unidentified men shot dead a police officer and wounded three other policemen in Polomolok, South Cotabato late Tuesday.

Senior Supt. Franklin Alvero, South Cotabato police provincial chief, said Senior Inspector Hernan Gabat, deputy town police chief, was killed when gunmen fired at him and his companions.

Alvero said Gabat and his companions, a town councilor and three other police officers, had just arrived at a roadside barbecue grill stall along the national highway, beside Gaisano Mall of Polomolok, when the gunmen opened fire at them.

The three other police officers were injured. Witnesses said they failed to return fire.

“Work related,” Alvero said of the attack.

He said that the Polomolok PNP had been relentless in enforcing anti-drug laws in town that affected several personalities who may have avenged the neutralization of drug ring members.

He said Gabat’s team went to Epoy’s Place to monitor personalities engaged in illegal drugs when the shooting occurred at 11:30 p.m.

The identities of other victims were not available as of press time.

The suspects quickly fled the crime scene.

Gabat was the second police officer from the South Cotabato police provincial office killed in a week’s time.

On Wednesday last week, Police Officer 2 Lloyd Platon was shot dead by another police officer in Mlang, North Cotabato following an altercation.

Police said Platon accosted a man for carrying a hand gun in a barbecue stall in Mlang.  The man turned out to be Police Officer Vergel Rivera assigned at Davao PNP.