A police mobile group trooper was shot dead on Monday night in Toboso, Negros Occidental and a public market watchman is the prime suspect.

The victim was identified as Police Officer 3 Socrates Cuevas, chief investigator of the 611th Provincial Mobile Group stationed in Sagay City.

Police investigations show that Cuevas, who was unarmed, was shot five times allegedly by Florentino Cajucson at the public market of Toboso, at about 10:30 p.m. Monday without any provocation.

Supt. Edgardo Ordaniel, 611th PMG director, said Cuevas sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot.

Ironically, the service firearm of Cuevas was with his wife, who was present, when the shooting took place, police investigations also showed.

Cuevas and his wife, had just left a videokee house near the public market when Cajucson, 49, suddenly emerged from behind them and shot Cuevas, Ordaniel said. Police investigations also showed that Cuevas had allegedly threatened the group of Cajucson with a gun in the 2004 elections, and this led to the filing of charges against the policeman before the Ombudsman, and his eventual transfer from the Toboso Police Station to 611th PMG headquarters in Sagay City.

Negros Occidental police director Rosendo Franco yesterday ordered the Toboso police and Ordaniel to work for the immediate arrest of Cajucson who could not be found at the residence of his parents in Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso.

Police investigators are now taking the testimonies of three witnesses in the shooting in preparation for the filing of charges against Cajucson.*GPB

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