ILOILO CITY — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has launched an investigation into the attempted ambush that targeted a police officer listed by the Iloilo City Police as a high-value target, in Barangay Dulonan, Arevalo district here on Tuesday afternoon.
Police Officer 1 Dorben Acap Jr. is on the city police’s drug list due to his alleged connection to Marque Acap, who was arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for drug cases in Oton, Iloilo in 2016, said Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, director of Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas).
Acap, assigned at the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU), was wounded on his left shoulder after gunmen on board a motorcycle shot his car several times at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
Acap managed to fire back using his service firearm and even hit one of the suspects. He was rushed to Medical City Iloilo for treatment and is in stable condition, said a PRO-6 report.
Investigators are still collecting pieces of evidence on the ambush attempt, said Senior Supt. Henry Biñas, director of the Iloilo City Police, in an interview on Wednesday.
Biñas recalled that Acap came to his office about two months ago to seek help on how to clear his name.
“He sought help from me because he told me that his name was allegedly on the list,” he said, adding that investigators are looking at all angles to determine the real motive behind the incident, including Acap’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, Biñas said they are also checking if Police Officer 2 Melvin Mocoro was involved in the ambush.
Mocoro was rushed to the Western Visayas Medical Center after sustaining a gunshot wound, a few minutes after the ambush try on Acap. Based on initial information, Mocoro was wounded while in Oton, Iloilo.
There is no direct evidence yet that could conclude that Mocoro was the alleged assailant, according to a press statement released by PRO-6.
“There is no evidence that shows that these two incidents are connected,” Bulalacao said.
“PRO-6 would like to assure the public that we are doing our best to have a fair and fast conduct of investigation. Once we have enough evidence to pin down suspects, appropriate charges will be filed against them,” he added. ( Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
