BACOLOD City — A police officer involved in two separate shooting incidents in Sibulan, Negros Oriental that left one civilian and three police officers dead is now under police custody and facing both criminal and administrative charges.
This was disclosed by the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) in a press statement issued on January 10.
The PRO-NIR identified the suspect as Staff Sergeant Bonifacio Saycon Jr., a member of the Sibulan Municipal Police Station (MPS).
Based on initial police reports, a civilian identified as Sheila Mae Denauanao was allegedly shot by Saycon inside SAB Resto Bar at around 9:35 p.m. on January 9. Shortly after, another shooting incident occurred in front of Toyota Motors in Barangay Tubtubon, resulting in gunshot wounds to Police Captain Jose Edrohil Cimafranca, Senior Master Sergeant Tristan Joseph Chua, and Patrolman Rey Albert Temblor.
Follow-up investigation disclosed that prior to the incident, the suspect and the three police officers were seated on a couch inside the establishment together with the victim. Without any apparent provocation, the suspect allegedly fired his service firearm at the victim multiple times, hitting different parts of her body and causing her instantaneous death.
The PRO-NIR said that after the initial shooting, the suspect and the three police officers were seen boarding a vehicle together. The Sibulan MPS immediately received a report of the incident and dispatched responding units, who were later informed of the direction taken by the vehicle.
Police later found a Mitsubishi Lancer, owned by Cimafranca, parked along the roadside in front of Toyota Sibulan. The three injured police officers were inside the vehicle, while the suspect was no longer at the scene.
The victims were rushed to the nearest medical facility but were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) were conducted at both crime scenes, and a hot pursuit operation was immediately launched.
At around 10:40 p.m. on the same day, Saycon surrendered at the Tanjay City Police Station and was later turned over to the Sibulan MPS.
Earlier, Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay, regional director of PRO-NIR, ordered the close monitoring and strict supervision of the investigation to ensure transparency, accountability, and full adherence to due process, especially since the incident involves a member of the police force.
“There will be no whitewash. This investigation will be conducted with full transparency, and anyone found liable will be held accountable under the law,” the PRO-NIR said in its statement./PN
