Cop gunned down in Bacolod City

MANILA, Philippines — Unidentified suspects gunned down a police officer in Bacolod City Thursday morning, said Senior Superintendent Ricardo dela Paz, city police chief.

He said that Police Officer 3 Rolando Malate was about to step out of his car to have coffee at around 7 a.m. along Jovita Street in Barangay (village) 40 when the motorcycle-riding suspects shot him.

Malate was a member of the Bacolod City Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, said Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol, Region 6 police director.

Malate was rushed to a nearby hospital but died due to gunshot wounds to his head.

Authorities recovered spent shells from a caliber .45 pistol, said Querol.

Bacolod City police are conducting an investigation into the incident to determine the identities and motive of the suspects.