LAGUNA -- Police probers are facing a blank wall on the killing of a police officer in barangay West Talaongan, Cavinti, Laguna on Monday afternoon, May 30.
The victim, identified as patrolman Genesis Lucero, who was assigned at Cavinti Municipal Police Station, bore gunshot wounds in the body, and was lying face down at the grassy road shoulder in Brgy. West Talaongan.
A security guard of Caliraya Bitocan Calayaan Corporation reported the incident to police at around 3:40 p.m. on Monday.
Upon their arrival, the responding police rushed the victim to the Laguna Provincial Hospital in Sta. Cruz, but was declared dead on arrival.
The investigators though seemed to be puzzled because the SOCO (scene of the crime operative) team recovered a caliber .9mm and a caliber .45 loaded with ammunition and the cop’s other personal belongings in the crime scene.
It was also noticed that the motorcycle of the victim was properly parked beside the road when the responders arrived.
Based on Lucero's background, he was previously assigned at Cabuyao City Philippine National Police as an Intelligence Operative.
However, sometime in December 2021, all intelligence operatives of Cabuyao City Police were relieved and reassigned to different City and Municipal Police Stations within Laguna Police Provincial Office due to a failed anti-drug operation (mistaken identity).
The victim together with other intelligence operatives of Cabuyao City Police Station faced criminal and administrative cases because of that incident.
A check on the record revealed that patrolman Lucero was not included in the watch list. Moreover, several PNP personnel of Cavinti Municipal Police Station revealed that there were times that the victim opened up his problems both personal and work-related.
The Cavinti PNP is still conducting an investigation to determine the motive in the killing. The Laguna Police Provincial Office has formed a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to conduct focused investigation to solve the case.