By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here is mourning one of its personnel who was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-riding perpetrators at Reclamation area, Barangay 1-Poblacion, Pontevedra town yesterday.
Killed was Staff Sergeant Ildefonso Casugod, 37, of Barangay Recreo. He was assigned as an intelligence officer of Pontevedra Municipal Police Station.
Captain Hancel Lumandaz, town police chief, said Casugod was biking in the area when he approached Mayor Jose Maria Alonso, who was jogging in the area around 6 a.m.
While Casugod was talking to the mayor, one of the perpetrators came near the police officer, and shot him, Lumandaz said.
Lumandaz said the assailant, who was wearing a bonnet, fled with his motorcycle-driver companion, who served as lookout.
The victim was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital, while the mayor and his bodyguard were unharmed.
Lumandaz said they are eyeing work-related as a possible motive behind the killing since he was assigned to hunt drug personalities, wanted persons, and gamblers among others.
“Pinalaliman pa namin kung ba’t nangyari ang insidente kasi mabait, at masipag naman siya,” he added.
Meanwhile, Colonel Romy Palgue, Nocppo police director, said they are also looking into the possibility that Casugod might be a victim of a communist attack.
Palgue reminded cops to be vigilant since the anniversary of the New People’s Army (NPA) is on December 26.
“Marami pa tayong anggulo na tinitingnan, pero we cannot divulge yet para hindi mahamper ang ating imbestigasyon,” Palgue said.
Personnel of the Pontevedra Municipal Police Station strongly condemned the killing of one of their colleagues as they also expressed their condolences to the victim’s family.
