Dumpit is laid to rest with spent bullets

A DOG’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: SP01 Adonis Dumpit’s pet dog “Badel” licks the tears off the face of Maria Ella Amores, Dumpit’s live-in
partner, as she views his remains together with Dumpit’s scholars following the Requiem Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in Cebu City on July 4, 2018.

THE sharpshooter policeman remained a friend to bullets, even up to his final resting place.

As a tradition among members of the shooters’ community, 20 empty shells of ammunition from different firearms were placed inside the tomb of SPO1 Adonis Dumpit when he was laid to rest at the Carreta Cemetery on Wednesday, July 4.

Norman Vincent, the 24-year-old son of Dumpit, said that regardless of the accusations thrown at his father, the people’s support for their grieving family was a testament that his father was a good man.

“Makakuha na lang unta siya’g kalinaw kung asa man siya ron. Siguro sa pagkakaron ang mga tawo lang usa ang mo-judge (I hope he finds peace wherever he is right now.

At this moment, we let the people to be the judge,” said Norman Vincent, referring to allegations that his father was a drug pusher operating in Bohol.

Dumpit was a decorated policeman who used to head the anti-crime Hunter’s Team of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña. He was jailed for six years following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old robber and was freed on bail in May 2016. Osmeña immediately took Dumpit under his wings, but the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) decided to reassign him to Bohol.

According to reports from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which operated against the policeman together with the police, Dumpit was a high-level drug pusher and protector. NBI said Dumpit was about to deliver some “ stocks” when he was killed in a supposed encounter with authorities in Tagbilaran City on June 27.

Since the first day of his father’s wake, Norman Vincent stood firm that his father was not involved in the illegal drugs trade. “I will never believe whatever they say about my father,” he said in Cebuano.

Josephine, Dumpit’s ex-wife, said that although PRO-7 declined to give him police honors, the support of the people, who came to pay him their respect was the honor that Dumpit brought with him to the after life.

“Girespeto lang gyud nako ang kadagkoan sa PNP (Philippine National Police) kung moingon sila nga walay honors, ang Ginoo na ang mohatag niyag honors (I respect the decision of the top officials of PNP. If they said there was no honors, so be it. God will give him the honors),” said Josephine.

Inconsolable

During the funeral rites, Josephine and Norman Vincent were also joined by Ma. Ella Amores, Dumpit’s live-in partner for 10 years and the 13 children that Dumpit and Amores had adopted and lived with in their rented house in Tagbilaran City in Bohol.

The children were clad in white shirts printed with “We are his soldiers and he is our shoulder to cry on.”

At half an hour past 11 a.m., Dumpit’s remains left the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Junquera Street where his wake was held.

Amores held Dumpit’s portrait while inconsolably crying as the throng of people walked to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral for his Requiem Mass. Mayor Osmeña and his wife, Councilor Margarita Osmeña, attended the Mass.

“It’s very clear to me those who are in favor of him and believe in him. He knows that we always stand by him, in life and in death,” the mayor said.

Despite the absence of uniformed policemen during Dumpit’s seven-day wake until his burial yesterday, Osmeña said there were a lot of policemen in active service who have extended their condolences to the family.

Norman Vincent confirmed there were police officials who reached out to their family through text messages and sent financial help.

He said he understood why these policemen opted not to come to his father’s wake, as they could end up losing their jobs.

Cebu policemen, including those close to Dumpit, shied away from his wake fearing that they would be associated with the illegal drugs trade after PRO-7 announced it would be photographing all the policemen who would attend his wake.

Finding justice

Now that his father was laid to rest, Norman Vincent said they would proceed with seeking legal advice to find justice for his father’s death.

Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, the deputy mayor on police matters, said the city would be willing to give legal assistance to the family should they ask for it.

“If they will ask the assistance of the mayor, the city can provide them a lawyer, but of course, ang pamilya na ang bahala pagpabarog sa ebidensya (the family should take care of finding the evidence to clear his name),” Tumulak said.

Tumulak added that if Dumpit’s family found his death to be questionable, they should pursue the filing of a case against the operatives of NBI-Bohol and PRO-7’s Regional Intelligence Division.

Dumpit was allegedly intercepted along F. Dagohoy Circumferential Road in Purok 1, Barangay San Isidro, Tagbilaran City, about 200 meters from his rented house at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday (June 27).

Lawyer Renan Oliva, chief of NBI-Bohol, maintained that Dumpit was a high-value target and was killed in a legitimate anti-drug operation.

The operatives claimed that 15 medium packs of illegal drugs were recovered from Dumpit’s possession. /WITH CORRESPONDENT FUTCH ANTHONY V. INSO