Sinas: Murdered retired cop not in narco list

Retired policeman Ranilo Valiente lays sprawled on the road in Sitio Mahogany, Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City after he was shot dead by motor-riding assailants on Sunday evening, June 24, 2018. CDN photo/ Norman Mendoza

THE retired policeman who was killed on Sunday night by assailants riding a motorcycle in Barangay Cubacub, Mandaue City is not on the authorities’ list of narco cops.

This was revealed yesterday by Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office director in Central Visayas (PRO-7).

SPO2 Ranilo Valiente is the fourth police officer gunned down this month.

But unlike the three other victims, Valiente is reportedly not in President Rodrigo Duterte’s roster of police officers who are involved in illegal drugs.

“As of now, we do not have any information that he is on the list of narco cops,” said Sinas.

Valiente, 47, succumbed to gunshot wounds on different parts of his body.

Police investigation revealed that Valiente was sitting on the sidewalk with a certain Jason Mayola at around 9 p.m. on Sunday, when two persons wearing bonnets and helmets on board a blue and black motorcycle stopped in front of them.

According to witnesses, the back rider immediately disembarked and shot Valiente several times.

Mayola, 26, of sitio Basbas, Barangay Pagsabungan in the same city, suffered gunshot wounds on his right cheek and right arm.

The suspects immediately fled from the crime scene.

Carlos Tubin of the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MCDRRMO) declared Valiente dead while Mayola was immediately brought to the hospital where he is now recovering.

Chief Insp. Mercy Villaro, information officer of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), said that they are looking at personal grudge as possible motive for the attack.

Villaro said that the attack could also be related to Valiente’s work as the president of the habal-habal drivers association or to his being a policeman.

Villaro said that Valiente opted for an early retirement just last April.

He was also the president of the Cubacub Mahogany Motorcycles and Habal-habal Drivers Association.

Sinas said that it’s possible that Valiente may have clashed with some criminals while still active in service.

“Posibleng may nakabangga or nakaaway siya nga gusto siya resbakan,” said Sinas in a press conference yesterday.
(It is possible that there were people who wanted to take revenge and want him dead)

Sinas said that this is usually the motive behind the killing of retired police officers.

Sinas said that they are currently conducting a background check on Valiente.