No policeman was stationed in Colon Street on the morning of July 7 when a chicharon trader from barangay Lorega was fatally ambushed at the corner of Osmeña Boulevard.
Why so? The policeman assigned at the intersection was attending a seminar that day and a police trainee was not at his post.
Chief Supt. Noel Lomente, chief of Carbon Police Station, explained that the field training policeman (FTP) and a senior police officer were not around when Jaime Villaceran was waylaid in his van by two motorcycle-riding assailants.
Lomente said the senior officer was attending a seminar that day and since an FTP is not allowed to be deployed without a senior police officer, the new police recruit left his post and joined two other policemen detailed near the GV Tower Hotel in Sanciangko Street.
“When the incident happened, they were the first to respond since they were the nearest police officers in the area,” said Lomente.
Villaceran was driving a Toyota Hi Ace Grandia when he was attacked. He stopped at a traffic light at the corner and was shot.
Police said the motive of the attack could be drug-related since Villaceran was on the police watchlist of drug suspects.
Supt. Romeo Santander earlier said there was initial information that the hit was ordered by a rival drug group.
He said police are looking for a man whom some witnesses said they saw tailing Villaceran in barangay Lorega before the attack.
Police said the the man was identified by the victim’s relatives when his photo was showed to them.
“Dili ni siya ma-consider nga gun-for-hire kay member jud ni siya sa usa ka illegal drug group as hitman (He is not a gun-for-hire but a hitman of an illegal drug group),” said Santander.
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