Policeman kills guard in bus, wounds 2 cops at checkpoint

A security guard was killed inside a bus while two police officers manning a checkpoint were injured after they were shot by another policeman dawn on Saturday, December 28, 2024.

Police said the guard, Reynaldo Bigno, Jr., was about to pay his fare when he was shot in the head by the policeman sitting behind him while the bus was moving in Barangay Batasan, Makilala, North Cotabato.

The suspect was assigned at Police Station 7 in General Santos City.

Authorities said the guard was on his way to Davao City to work. The suspect and his wife were also headed there.

Prior to the incident, the couple were reportedly fighting inside the bus.

“Based sa ating information, nagkaroon sila ng chaos sa loob ng bus kasi kasama niya yung partner niya… siguro, napuno, 'di natin alam kung ano ‘yung nasa isip ng police officer kaya nahantong ng ganoon,” Makilala Municipal Police Station Spokesperson, Chief Master Sergeant Ritche Gesulga, said.

(There was chaos inside the bus between the suspect and his partner... we do not know what was going inside the head of the police officer that led to the incident.)

According to a barangay official in Batasan, Makilala, the suspect allegedly thought the guard was pulling out a gun.

“Sabi kasi ng conductor, kasi yung pagkabaril sa kanya… ang scenario tiniketan sana ng conductor si Reyando Bigno, Jr., yung napatay kasi, pa-travel man siya papuntang Toril, Davao kasi mag-duty siya doon as security guard, ang problema kasi yung that time na magbayad na sana sa ticket nya yung para sa pamasahe niya papuntang Davao, sabi kasi sa investigator, yung nakausap ang suspek, tingin daw niya doon kay Jun Bigno, akala daw niya magbunot ng baril kaya binaril niya doon sa likuran natamaan yung bandang batok niya, then nakalabas yung bala sa may noo niya banda,” Barangay Batasan Councilman Abe Desaca said.

(The conductor said the scenario was the suspect thought the victim, who was traveling to work in Davao, was pulling out a gun, when he was actually getting payment for his ticket. The suspect shot him from behind, hitting him on the nape, with the bullet emerging from the forehead.)

After fatally shooting the guard, the suspect reportedly ordered the driver to continue driving.

Upon reaching the border control point in Barangay New Opon, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, the driver stopped to seek help from police officers manning the checkpoint.

The suspect allegedly got angry because told the driver to continue moving as he would only surrender in Davao City, but the driver did not obey him.

The suspect then shot the two police officers at the checkpoint.

The two were assigned at the 1104th Regional Mobile Force Batallion-Davao. They were brought to the hospital for treatment.

The suspect allegedly tried to escape, but other police officers were quick to arrest him.

“Hindi pa doon natapos… sabi daw ng suspek, ‘wag daw hihinto doon sa may bilutukan area, gusto ng suspek sa Davao na siya mag-surrender so naghanap ng timing yung driver kasi yung suspek umupo doon sa may likod kaya ini-stop nya yung bus sa may checkpoint sa Pinuscusan-Bantalan, Davao area na doon din ang dahilan kaya nadale yung dalawang pulis kasi binaril din ng pulis yung dalawang pulis,” Desaca added.

(It did not stop with the killing. The suspect wanted to surrender in Davao but the driver stopped the bus at a checkpoint in Pinuscusan-Bantalan, Davao area, where the cop shot and wounded the two police officers.)

The wife of the slain security guard is calling for justice.

“Mensahe tagaan hustisya ang akong bana kasi mga anak namo gagmay pa kayo , elementary pa. Tapos buutan pagkatao, tapos ana sila mangdamay laing tao,” Bigno’s wife, Marilou, said.

(We demand justice for my husband, our children are still small. He was a kind person, he should not have been hurt.)

Due to the incident, the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) said it will strengthen its monitoring on its personnel.

“‘More or less meron naman tayong random drug test, meron tayong continuing education sa kapulisan, walang humpay na pagmo-monitor sa ating police station para yung ating admin requirements ng ating kapulisan ay ma-address, at saka bantay kaisipan, lahat sila sina-subject natin sa re-nuero exam para ma-address yung problema nila kung mayroon man diyan sa trabaho ng ating PNP sa ground,” GSCPO Director, Col, Nicomedes Olaivar, Jr., said.

(We have random drug tests, we have continuing education for our police force, our efforts to monitor our police stations continue to address the administration requirements and the mental health concerns of our PNP.)

The suspect is now detained and is facing murder and frustrated murder charges.
—GMA Regional TV News