Model Muntinlupa cop turned hired gun shot dead

A former Muntinlupa City policeman with numerous citations was killed in a shootout with a businessman and his policeman-son on Sunday.

It turned out that PO2 Pedro Delgado, a skilled marksman who single-handedly stopped a jeepney robbery and saved people from an amok, was leading a double life.

According to Chief Insp. Gideon Ines, Muntinlupa police investigation unit head, Delgado and his accomplice, Alfredo Alcaraz, tried to kill Rommil Cuambot on Sunday afternoon.

Policeman-son to the rescue

But Cuambot, who had survived a previous attempt on his life in 2016, fired his .45-caliber pistol at the suspects. His son, PO1 Danilo Cuambot, a Pasay policeman, also came to his aid.

Delgado died on the spot while Alcaraz was wounded. Cuambot and his son were unhurt.

Senior Insp. Leomar Vicente, Muntinlupa Police Community Precinct (PCP) 2 commander, said his fellow officers recognized Delgado immediately.

“They were surprised because they never imagined him to be on the other side of the law,” Ines said, adding, “His colleagues said he had many accomplishments since he was a very good policeman.”

In 2001, Delgado was assigned at the Muntinlupa PCP 2 when he foiled a jeepney robbery. In August 2002, he saved a crowd from a drug-crazed man who ran amuck in Alabang. He was transferred to Mindanao in 2017 but went AWOL (absent without official leave) in May. —WITH REPORTS FROM ROSELIE MARI VILLAFLOR AND KRISTEL LIMPOT