Possible suspect in Kusaka case, Cebu City cop killed in shootout

By Ronron
December 10, 2007

A possible suspect in the killing of a Japanese national in Cebu province last month died in a shootout with policemen Monday afternoon in Cebu City.

Chief Insp. Rex Derilo of the Region 7 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview last night that a Cebu City cop was also killed in said incident that happened at around 2:30 pm in Cebu City.

Derilo said joint operatives from CIDG Region 7 and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) were trying to effect a search warrant at the possible suspect’s house when the latter fired at them.

PO1 Edario Manatag of the CCPO Homicide Section identified the possible suspect as Ramon Baclohan, 53, resident of Jaime Compound at Sitio Sab-a in Barangay Zapatera of said city.

“The operatives were supposed to find out if he (Baclohan) was involved in the killing of the Japanese national in Mandaue City last month,” Manatag told Manila Shimbun in the Cebuano dialect in a separate phone interview last night.

Manatag was referring to the killing of Japanese businessman Hiroshi Kusaka, 49, last November 13 in Mandaue City.

Kusaka was supposed to catch a flight to Japan when two suspects riding on a motorcycle shot him while he was aboard a van. The suspects fled after the incident.

Manatag said the search warrant against Baclohan was for an alleged illegal possession of firearm. The warrant was issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 9 Judge Faith Econg.

But Manatag disclosed that, Baclohan, as far as the Homicide Section knows, has no standing arrest warrants or criminal records.

However, Derilo said they have unconfirmed reports that Baclohan had been involved in past criminal activities in Metropolitan Cebu.

“As of now, we have no solid proof to link him to the killing of Hiroshi Kusaka. We will still look into this,” Derilo said in the Cebuano dialect when asked of Baclohan’s possible involvement to the Kusaka case.

According to Manatag, when police operatives arrived at Baclohan’s place yesterday, the other residents told them that their target was not around.

The police, however, decided to enter Baclohan’s house, which was very dark at that time, since they were armed anyway with a search warrant.

When the police operatives switched on the light inside the house, Baclohan, who was hiding inside a bedroom, suddenly opened fire, hitting PO1 Noriel Luage on the right side of his face.

This prompted the other policemen to shoot Baclohan, hitting him on his right temple, causing later his death.

Recovered from Baclohan was a homemade caliber 357, said Manatag.

Meanwhile, Luage, who is in his 20’s, died while being treated at the Chong Hua Hospital in said city.

Derilo said there will be follow up operations to yesterday’s incident, which hopefully could shed light to the Kusaka killing incident./DMS