4 cops deployed in Ruma campaign sortie to be probed

The Cagayan Provincial Police Office announced Sunday that investigators would also look into the actions of the local police officers deployed during the campaign rally where Rizal, Cagayan Mayor Joel Ruma was shot and killed.

Police Captain Shiela Joy Fronda, spokesperson for the provincial police office, explained that it was standard procedure for the Philippine National Police to assign personnel to secure campaign events.

During Ruma’s rally in Barangay Illuru Sur, four police officers were assigned to serve as part of his security detail.

Fronda said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview that the firearms issued to these officers have already been recovered and submitted to the forensic unit for examination.

“‘Yung mga baril ng ating mga kapulisan na nag-serve as security ay nakuha na rin at nai-submit na sa forensic unit para sa examination dahil… sila rin ay parte ng investigation," Fronda said.

(The firearms of the police officers who served as security were already collected and submitted for forensic examination because they are also part of the investigation.)

"[Ito’y] para makita kung ginawa ng ating mga kapulisan ang kanilang parte o role during the incident," she added.

(This is to determine whether the officers properly fulfilled their roles during the incident.)

Ruma was shot on Wednesday evening, sustaining a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, with the bullet exiting through the upper to middle right side of his back.

He was rushed to Tuao District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival at 10:31 p.m.

Authorities were also investigating the possibility that a sniper had killed Ruma.

Before the incident, the mayor had reportedly received a death threat. — DVM, GMA Integrated News