Rebels kill anti-drug cop in Iloilo

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Armed men who identified themselves as members of the New People’s Army gunned down a policeman evening of June 15 at Tubungan, Iloilo.

Police Master Sergeant Arnel Paurillo, 42, a resident of Barangay Bongol, San Vicente, Guimbal, Iloilo, instantly succumbed to 17 gunshot injuries.

Paurillo, a member of Tubungan Police Station, was in detailed service to the Iloilo Police Provincial Office-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (IPPO-PDEU).

Police Lieutenant Jose Rommel Samson, Tubungan police chief, said the incident happened at 9:30 p.m. Monday while the victim was dining at his friend’s house in Barangay Tiniente Benito, a village just around 1 kilometer from Tubungan town proper.

The four armed suspects barged into the house of Rodolfo Talamillo.

A witness claimed that one of the suspects said, “NPA kami. Hapâ!” (We’re NPA. Get down!)

They then shot at Paurillo and left the five other persons at the dining table unharmed.

Samson said the suspects boarded waiting motorcycles parked several meters from the house and sped towards the hinterland of Tubungan.

A worker of the Tubungan Rural Health Unit checked the victim and declared him dead on the scene.

Samson said they’re investigating how the suspects learned of the victim’s presence in the area.

“We could not conclude for now if they’re NPA members. The area is not NPA influenced or affected since it’s not far-flung nor situated in the hinterland. There were no reported NPA sightings in the said barangay,” he said.

Samson said he was informed that Paurillo was in the area waiting for another person to plan the arrest of a wanted person.

Police have recovered empty shells of caliber .45 and caliber .9mm pistols from the crime scene.

But a statement from the Napoleon Tumagtang Command of the NPA claimed responsibility for Paurillo’s death.

The rebel group said Paurillo was sentenced to death for his active intelligence works and alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade despite being an anti-narcotics officer.

 

CONDEMNATION 

The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) and IPPO condemned what they referred to as the “treacherous killing” of Paurillo by alleged NPA members while the victim was performing a police-related activity.

Police Brigadier Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, already directed an in-depth investigation “to identify and arrest the suspects in order to give justice to the brutal killing of PMSg Paurillo who is known to be a dedicated public servant.”

Pamuspusan also appealed to the people of Tubungan who know about the incident to cooperate in the investigation.

Pamuspusan assured that witnesses will be protected and that their identities will be kept secret.

As he extended his condolences to Paurillo’s family, the region’s top cop also vowed to seek justice for his killing.

“Let us continue to unite and stand against terrorism in Western Visayas so that these ruthless criminals would finally meet their end,” he said.

Meanwhile, Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas, Iloilo police chief, said the IPPO condemns the ruthless killing of Paurillo who was in the act of conducting surveillance for the possible arrest of a wanted person.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Master Sergeant Paurillo in the course of fulfilling his duty to enforce the law and fight criminality,” Lucas said.

It was gathered that Paurillo had been in the police service for more than 15 years already.