Town Police Chief, Deputy Killed in Bukidnon Grenade Attacks

MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 10 Feb) – A Bukidnon town police chief and his deputy died when another policeman lobbed grenades at them after a gathering and dinner Monday night, reports said.

The fatalities were identified as Senior Insp. Crisanto Molina and Insp. Dexter Garcia, both of the municipality of Cabanglasan, which is situated in Bukidnon’s border with Agusan del Sur.

The suspect, PO1 Gorospe Cairo of the Cabanglasan municipal police who was reported to have tested positive in a drug test, is at large, municipal officials said.

Police Inspector Jiselle Ester Lou M. Longakit, Bukidnon provincial police office public information officer, said manhunt operations are ongoing against the suspect.

Hansel Echavez, chief of the Bukidnon Provincial Public Affairs and Information and Assistance Office, quoted Cabanglasan Vice Mayor Lolita Obsioma as saying that Cairo lobbed the first grenade at the dining hall. The blast killed Molina instantly after being hit with shrapnel in the head and back. Garcia ran after the suspect, but the latter threw another grenade, killing Garcia.

Before the incident, local officials have cited requests they made to pull out two police officers in Cabanglasan who were reported to have tested positive in the drug test. Molina was quoted to have said he was waiting for the order from the regional and provincial police offices for the pull out.

Longakit said Cairo was supposed to report to the Bukidnon Provincial Police Office on Tuesday while undergoing the process of pre-charge evaluation of the administrative case that will be filed against the erring police officers.

Both Molina and Garcia, she added, joined the Philippine National Police through its Lateral Entry Program, a scheme that allows professionals from select fields to enter the police force obtaining inspector ranks without going through the Philippine National Police Academy. - MindaNews

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