PNP CHIEF Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has ordered police investigators not to limit their probe on the election angle in connection with the recent killing of reelectionist Mayor Joel Ruma of Rizal, Cagayan.
In a radio interview yesterday, Cagayan provincial police spokesperson Capt.
Sheila Joy Fronda also said Marbil has ordered a special investigation task group (SITG) to meet daily to hasten the resolution of the crime.
Ruma was campaigning at the gymnasium of Barangay Illuru, Rizal last Thursday night when he was shot by a suspected sniper. Three others were injured in the attack.
On Friday, Marbil went to Rizal to check on the progress of the probe and actions that were taken by the local police to ensure peace and order in the town.
“One of the marching orders of our chief PNP is to look into all possible angles for us to determine the possible motive behind the shooting incident in the municipality of Rizal,” Fronda said.
“Another marching order of our chief PNP is for us not focus only on the coming election as the motive,” added Fronda, who is a member of the task group.
Ruma is seeking reelection in the May 12 elections against Florence Littaua and Ralph Mamauag. His wife, Brenda, is running for vice mayor against Edilberto Jose Jr and Pastor Ligas Jr.
Fronda said the task force is still in the process of consolidating vital information relating to the incident.
“The chief PNP also gave an order for the SITG, the task group that was established, to conduct a daily case conference… to expedite the identification of the perpetrators of this shooting incident,” she also said.
She said four policemen have been assigned to secure Ruma during the campaign rally.
Fronda said an investigation is also underway “to determine if the policemen did their job.”
Also, she said the firearms of the town’s policemen were subjected to forensic examination.
“They are part of the investigation that we are conducting,” she said.
