Deputy Chief of Police of San Jose town, Negros Oriental gunned down

The crime scene in Barangay Tapon Norte, San Jose town, Negros Oriental, where 47-year-old Police Executive Master Sergeant Roldan Esmajer, Deputy Chief of Police of the town of San Jose, was gunned down by still unidentified suspects. | contributed photo, NOPPO

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental- A police official was shot dead by a still unidentified gunman on Tuesday night, January 28, 2020, along the national highway in Barangay Tapon Norte, San Jose town, Negros Oriental.

The victim is 47-year-old Police Executive Master Sergeant Roldan Esmajer, the Deputy  Chief of Police of the town of San Jose.

According to reports from the police, Esmajer succumbed to three gunshot wounds in his upper abdomen, right lateral chest area and right shoulder. He was declared dead in a local hospital 45 minutes after the shooting incident that happened around 7 p.m. in this town which is around 19 kilometers north of Dumaguete City.

Police Colonel Julian Entoma, director of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, told CDN Digital in an interview that the victim was on his way to the town’s police station riding his motorcycle when he was ambushed.

Entoma said the Esmajer came from a police operation but made a quick trip back to his home in the same town to attend to some personal matters. 

While traversing in the national highway on his way back to the police station, he was followed by the two suspects onboard another motorcycle. According to witnesses, the back rider of the tandem following him shot the police official three times. 

After the shooting, the suspects immediately fled the scene towards the south direction. No empty shells were recovered from the crime scene.

Shoot to kill

“So far wala pa mi identity sa suspects ug exact motive,” Entoma said.

(So far, we don’t know the identity of the suspects and the motive of the killing.)

Entoma has already ordered a manhunt operation on the two suspects and has issued a shoot-to-kill order should the armed suspects retaliate when caught.

Meanwhile, Entoma said the victim has no derogatory record with the force.

“Dugay ni siyang operative against illegal drugs. Maayo ning bata-a, motrabaho man,” Entoma said.

(He has long been an operative against illegal drugs. He is a good policeman who works well.)

“Operative gyud ni siya sa intel. So far, walay record ning bata-a nga nakasuhan ug administrative,” Entoma added.

(He is an operative for intel. So far, he doesn’t have any record of administrative cases filed against him.) /bmjo