IPPO forms special team to probe San Joaquin village chief’s murder

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has created a special investigation team to probe the murder of a San Joaquin village official.

Lt. Col. Rolando Araño, IPPO spokesperson, said SIT Sapalo is placed under the supervision of IPPO director Col. Bayani Razalan.

Lt. Col. Engilbert Banquillo, IPPO deputy provincial director for operations, will serve as the SIT commander and will have personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Scene of the Crime Operations and the Regional Intelligence Unit as members.

Personnel from IPPO key offices and the San Joaquin Municipal Police Station will also form part of the team.

As this developed, Araño said they already have a person of interest behind the killing of Barangay Captain Richard Sapalo of Ginot-an village, San Joaquin.

He added they are looking at personal grudges and work-related issues as possible motives for the murder.

“There are some individuals who might not be happy with the work of Brgy. Captain Sapalo,” Araño said.

He did not go into details.

Sapalo was shot dead on Feb. 26, which was also his birthday.

An unknown gunman allegedly barged into their house, went into his room and shot him twice in the chest.

It was believed that Sapalo had been dead for a few hours when his daughter found his body.

Ma. Asunzie told police investigators that she heard gunfire around 2:30 a.m. Thursday but ignored it, thinking that it was just some random sound.

Three hours later, she checked on her father sleeping in the adjacent room and found him lifeless.