A police intelligence officer who was walking behind Mayor Jose Maria Alonso at the reclamation area in Barangay 1-Poblacion in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, was shot to death by a lone gunman at 6 a.m. today, December 22.
SSgt. Ildefonso Rivera Casugod, 37, was shot in the head and was declared dead on arrival at the Bago City District Hospital, Capt. Hancel Lumandaz, Pontevedra police chief, said.
Casugod, a resident of Barangay Recreo, Pontevedra, was shot in the head with a .45 caliber pistol by his assassin who was wearing a face mask, hooded jacket and black jogging pants, Lumandaz said.
The suspect walked up to the policeman from behind and shot him, then walked towards a waiting scooter and escaped, the mayor said.
Alonso and his companions Ramon Bringuelo and SFO2 Edmund Cabatas – Pontevedra OIC Fire Marshal were unharmed.
The mayor said he meets up with fellow joggers and jogs at the reclamation area about four times a week, and had just spoken to Casugod shortly before the incident happened.
Casugod was behind him when he was shot so he did not see what was happening and was startled by the sound of the gunshot, the mayor said.
The mayor is calling for justice for Casugod’s death three days before Christmas.
The mayor said they do not know what the motive behind the killing of the policeman was.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he hopes the motive for the killing is determined and the suspect is arrested.
Justice has to be given to the family of the slain policeman, he said.
“I understand that Mayor Jomar Alonso was never under threat, the target was very specific on the police officer,” the governor added.
The assassination of Casugod came after S/Sgt. Bernie Sales, an intelligence officer of the Sagay City Police Station, was also shot dead in Cadiz City, on Nov. 26.
Col. Romy Palgue, Negros Occidental police director, who said that they are eyeing communist rebels among the suspects, reminded policemen to be vigilant, as the Communist Party of the Philippines is marking its 52nd founding anniversary on December 26.*