GENERAL SANTOS CITY–Police gunned down a suspect in the rape and killing of a five year-old girl in Tampakan town in South Cotabato after he allegedly grabbed the firearm of a female police officer inside a police station Wednesday evening.
Senior Insp. Rafael Banggay, Tamapakan police chief, on Thursday said suspect Zandro Ogdamin, 42, was undergoing booking procedure around 10 p.m. when he suddenly tried to overpower a female police investigator.
Banggay said they removed the suspect’s handcuffs to facilitate the finger printing process but he resisted and suddenly lunged towards the investigator.
Banggay, who was supervising the booking procedure inside the police station’s investigation room, said he fired a shot at Ogdamin using his 9mm handgun.
The suspect was hit on the chest and was later declared dead on arrival at the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Koronadal City, he said.
“I sensed his criminal instinct at that time so I reacted. My intention was just to neutralize him but he was hit on the fatal part of his body,” the police officer told reporters.
Ogdamin was brought to the Tampakan police station on Tuesday evening after being arrested around noon in Barangay Poblacion in Alabel, Sarangani Province.
He was the primary suspect in the rape and killing last Sunday of their five year-old neighbor near a creek in Purok Mainuswagon, Poblacion, Tampakan.
Banggay said the incident sparked outrage among residents, a number of whom rushed to the police station after reports came out about the arrest of Ogdamin, who was formally charged with rape and homicide on Wednesday morning.
To prevent possible problems due to the presence of the angry crowd, he said they decided to delay the suspect’s booking procedure until Wednesday night.
The police official said they followed the standard procedure in the booking of the suspect and noted that the latter’s shooting was necessary “to prevent possible harm” to police personnel who were on duty at that time.
Banggay said he is willing to face any investigation in connection with the incident. (Anna liza Cabrido/PNA)
