Jealousy may have led cop to kill colleague

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – The Investigation and Detection Management Unit (IDMU) of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is assisting Police Station 8 in probing an alleged crime of passion that led to the death of a policeman last Friday.

Police Major Eugene Tolentino, head of Police Station 8, reported that jealousy allegedly drove Patrolman Alvin Rios to shoot his colleague, Police Staff Sergeant Jotham Arrem Tuto, 31, of Sagay City, Negros Occidental, who was assigned to the Mobile Patrol Unit (MPU) of the BCPO.

Tolentino stated that Rios left his house early that day, telling his live-in partner he would be traveling to Iloilo. However, he returned later without informing her.

When Rios arrived home, he saw Tuto in their bedroom with his partner, prompting him to shoot Tuto.

Despite attempts by the victim to pacify Rios, he was shot and later declared dead at the hospital.

Police recovered a 9mm caliber pistol, two fired cartridges, and four magazines with live ammunition at the scene.

The firearm has been subjected to ballistic examination to determine if it was Rios’s service weapon.

The 26-year-old suspect from Antique, who has a six-month-old son with his partner, had previously been involved in arguments with her that had reached the barangay level.

Rios, assigned to the 1st Mobile Force Company of Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO), is now in police custody.

Tolentino said murder charges are being prepared against the suspect.