P100K reward offered for capture of Bulacan cops’ killer
A P100,000 reward has been offered for any information that would lead to the arrest of the gunman who shot dead two Bulacan policemen and stole their service firearms around 12 noon last Saturday.
Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Jean S. Fajardo assured that the identity of the informant will be kept in utmost secrecy even as all concerned police officers in Central Luzon were mobilized to arrest the suspect who even had the temerity to finish off one of the slain cops with the latter’s service firearm.
The official strongly condemned the attack and assured the families of Police Staff Sergeants Dennis Cudiamat and Gian George Dela Cruz of the Bocaue Municipal Police Station that justice will be served.
A 14-year-veteran of the police force, Dela Cruz left his wife and five children, with ages 23, 22, 18, 4 and 2-years old.
Cudiamat left a young widow and their three sons with ages 16, 8 and 7-years old. He joined the PNP in 2013.
“The Philippine National Police will relentlessly pursue all those responsible for this heinous attack. We will not rest until justice is served. This act of violence against our personnel will not go unpunished, and we will ensure that the full force of the law is brought down upon the perpetrators,” she said.
The official also expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the two officers.
“We mourn the tragic deaths of our brave police operatives who dedicated their lives to serving and protecting the public. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, and we assure them of our support during this difficult time. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” she said.
Fajardo said that operations are still ongoing to arrest the suspect identified as alias “Athan.” The two suspects were reported to be brothers who are engaged in illegal gun trafficking in Bulacan and other parts of Central Luzon.
“We’re mourning the death of the two policemen who really died in the line of duty. Our promise to their families is that they will get the justice they really deserve,” she said.
An investigation showed that members of the Bocaue MPS conducted a buy-bust operation against a notorious gun trafficker in Sitio Tugatog, NIA Road in Bgy. Tambubong around 12 noon last Saturday.
Fajardo said that Cudiamat and Dela Cruz were back-up operatives of the team that successfully arrested their main target identified as alias “Magat” after he sold a firearm to a poseur-buyer.
However, it turned out that the suspect has a brother who fled after seeing the policemen making the arrest.
The two policemen went after the second suspect, who hid in a nearby construction site, and began firing at Dela Cruz, hitting the latter in the body and thigh before stealing the latter’s PNP-issued firearm.
The suspect also shot Cudiamat as the cop tried to run after him on a motorcycle. The suspect shot the second cop with his pistol before finishing the latter off with the use of Dela Cruzes’ firearm.
The suspect escaped with the two slain policemen’s firearms. However, he left his caliber .45 pistol at the scene. The gun has been subjected to a ballistics and cross-matching examination to determine if it has been used in the commission of other crimes in the region.
Cudiamat died on the spot while Dela Cruz succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in a local hospital around 3 p.m. of the same day.
The suspect was monitored to have fled towards the nearby Pandi municipality.
Fajardo said that confiscated from the arrested suspect were one cal. .38 revolver without serial numbers, a hand grenade, the buy-bust money topped by a marked P1,000 bill and a Rusi 125cc tricycle.
She added that a Honda Beat motorcycle believed used by the second suspect in his escape was recovered in Bgy. Bunsuran 2nd in Pandi. PRO3 agents are actively tracking him using surveillance footage and intelligence reports.
Criminal charges for violations of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2002 in relation to the Omnibus Election Code and RA 9165 or illegal possession of explosives and double murder are now being prepared against the two suspects.
