Cop critically wounded after robbery-holdup rescue

A POLICEMAN assigned in Borbon town, northern Cebu was in critical condition after he was shot by a robber of the motel where he checked in yesterday dawn on BB Cabahug Street, Barangay Guizo, Mandaue City.

PO1 Erwin Pepito sustained gunshot wounds in the chest, stomach and neck. He was rushed to Chong Hua Hospital in Mandaue for treatment.

PO2 Jason Flores, desk officer of Centro Police Station in Mandaue, said that based on the account of Jeffrey Geniza, the motel’s security guard, an unidentified man suddenly appeared around 2:30 a.m. yesterday and poked a gun at him, took his .38 revolver and declared a holdup.

The suspect then ordered cashier Ethel Baricuatro to give him the money.

Upon hearing the commotion, PO1 Pepito went out of his room and grappled the robber’s firearm, but a colleague of the robber intervened and shot the police several times. The two fled with the proceeds of the establishment amounting to P2,580 and the cashier’s mobile phone.

The Centro Police Station immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation after receiving the alarm but failed to arrest the suspects.

Police recovered from the scene a .357 revolver with six live bullets and a mobile phone left by one of the suspects.

Through the mobile phone, the police were able to locate the suspect in East Binabag, Barangay Tayud, Consolacion, where they arrested one Mark RJ Tampus, 25, together with a 16-year old girl.

Police also went to Barangay Tayud in Liloan to arrest another cohort identified as Rex Braga, 30.

But Braga allegedly fired at the police, prompting the latter to retaliate and hit Braga in the chest. Braga was brought to the hospital.

The suspects were positively identified by the security guard and the cashier as responsible for the heist. Police recovered from Tampus two .38 revolvers, including the service firearm of the security guard.