A General Santos City police officer accused of shooting a civilian and two policemen is suspected of drug use and involvement in scams.
The suspect, Police Corporal Alfred Dawatan Sabas, assigned to Police Station 7 in General Santos, opened fire inside a bus on December 28, 2024, killing a civilian named Bigno. He then ordered the bus driver to continue driving. At a checkpoint in New Opon, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, Sabas allegedly shot two police officers at around 4:15 AM.
The civilian victim died on the spot, while the two officers remain hospitalized.
According to General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) Director Colonel Nicomedes Olaivar Jr., Sabas had been under suspicion for drug use even before the incident. Adding that reports linked Sabas to a local rice scam, deepening suspicions about his activities.
Sabas is now detained at the Magsaysay Municipal Police Station in Davao del Sur. He faces multiple charges, including murder, frustrated murder, and administrative offenses.
This tragic incident highlights the dangers of rogue law enforcers abusing their power. Calls for stricter screening and monitoring of police officers are growing louder, especially with the revelation of Sabas’s alleged drug use and involvement in fraudulent schemes.
“This is a betrayal of public trust,” a local resident lamented, expressing outrage over the incident.
The GSCPO assured the public of a thorough investigation and vowed to hold Sabas accountable. As the victims’ families seek justice, the case exposes pressing issues within the police force, including the need for stricter oversight and accountability.
