Samar town police chief in Leyte for surveillance operations shot dead

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – The chief of police of Paranas town in Samar was shot and killed early Tuesday outside a karaoke bar in this city.

Killed was Senior Inspector Lucino Lopido, 49, a widower, who was declared dead on arrival at a hospital from four gunshot wounds in the chest and left arm.

Initial police investigation showed that around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Lopido approached a man who was standing outside Dino’s Karaoke Bar on Gomez Street and a few minutes later shots were heard and the victim was seen falling to the pavement.

“Apparently, he was in the area to conduct surveillance and when he saw the suspect, who was wearing a jacket and a (baseball) cap, approached him and introduced himself as a chief of police of Paranas,” Tacloban police chief Senior Supt. Domingo Cabillan said, adding that shots were then heard and the assailant was seen running away.

Lopido, who was not in uniform at the time, was with four companions, all said to be civilians, inside a vehicle parked in front of karaoke bar.

Recovered from the crime scene were five 9-millimeter bullet casings and a motorcycle said to be owned by the assailant.

Lopido, who assumed his post as police chief of Paranas two weeks ago, was rushed to the Saint Paul’s Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

His remains were taken to the Rolling Hills funeral homes at Barangay 95, Caibaan District.

Cabillan said investigators had yet to establish the motive for the killing of Lopido, who was once a member of the Tacloban Police, or determine what kind of surveillance his group was conducting.

He said that the police would ensure that the perpetrator would be arrested and charged in court.

“We will do everything we can. The victim here is a chief of police and if they can kill a police officer, then, this could send a wrong signal that they can just kill anyone,” Cabillan said.

He said he has formed a special task force to expedite the solution of the killing, which he described as “isolated case.” With an earlier report from Julliane Love De Jesus, INQUIRER.net  

Originally posted: 1:43 pm | Tuesday, July 22nd, 2014