Sinas: Probe focuses on background of slain cop

As the investigation continues on the death of PO2 Romeo Jumalon, who was killed on Sunday dawn by unidentified assailants, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) Director, Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, is looking deeper into the background of the slain cop as Sinas found some questionable details in the police officer’s records.

Sinas said that Jumalon’s suspension and dismissal from the police force in 2012 remains a mystery for the investigators of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), the unit tasked to investigate the case, especially since Jumalon was reinstated in 2016.

“Naa man gud ni siyay background. So most likely mukhang personal grudge ang motive. (Jumalon has a background. So most likely the motive is personal grudge). It has something to do with his business in the casinos before,” said Sinas.
Sinas revealed that in the four-year gap between 2012 to 2016, Jumalon became a broker for a casino which is a crucial point in the investigation because the reason for his death may have sprung from conflicts in his past job.

“Nag AWOL (absence without leave) siya pag 2012, nabalik pag 2016, and na assign sa amoa (PRO-7) pag 2017. In between ana nga years ato gicheck unsa iyang gipangbuhat. (He went AWOL in 2012, returned to the police force in 2016, and was recently assigned with us in 2017. In between those years, we will check what he had been doing),” said Sinas.

Jumalon was recently assigned to the Regional Service Group of the PRO-7. Prior to that, he served at the Regional Personnel Holding Administrative Office (RPHAO) since 2016.

The PRO-7 director also revealed that on the records of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS), Jumalon was allegedly linked to an alleged kidnapping of a Korean national which allegedly led to his suspension in 2012.

Sinas said that they are still looking into the details of this case and its validity to check if it has any connection with Jumalon’s death.

Furthermore, Sinas said they were not discounting the alleged affiliations of Jumalon with Gen. Marcelo Garbo Jr., who served as director of the PRO-7 from 2011 to 2013.

General Garbo was named as a drug protector or ‘narco-general’ by President Rodrigo Duterte in July 2016, along with retired Chief Supt. Vicente Loot, now the mayor of the town of Daanbantayan in Cebu; Police Director Joel Pagdilao; and Chief Supts. Edgardo Tinio and Bernardo Diaz.

Garbo denied the allegations and dismissed them as merely politics as he supported another presidential candidate for the May 2016 elections.

Garbo’s whereabouts are currently unknown.

Sinas revealed that Jumalon did work as a driver for Garbo, but investigators were still investigating if Jumalon carried orders for the general outside his job.

“I don’t think that is the case,” Sinas said.

He also assured that despite the revelations of Jumalon’s background, he would receive the benefits of a slain cop including burial honors and benefits.

“There is no question about that. He died within the police force. We will help his family and he will receive the benefits,” said the director.

Jumalon was on his way to attend the midnight mass with his wife around 4 a.m. when a masked man approached him and shot him multiple times on Sunday (December 23). He died on the spot.

The police have yet to find suspects for the killing of the cop.