Slain policeman Corporal Arnel Bayot had orders to stay at the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) headquarters in Camp Francisco Dagohoy in Tagbilaran City on the day he was gunned down by still unidentified heavily armed assailants in Maribojoc.
Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) director Col. Jonathan Cabal said that Bayot who was an intelligence officer of the Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) violated the order of his force commander by leaving Camp Francisco Dagohoy.
“Nagviolate siya ng specific instructions ng force commander niya,” said Cabal.
According to Cabal, PMFC operatives from across the province were called by their commander Lt. Col. Ismael Gauna to stay at Camp Dagohoy for an accounting of personnel as the police were placed on full alert status.
The PMFC was supposed to be deployed to the province’s hinterlands to conduct patrols as the ceasefire between government troops and the left-wing’s armed group, the New People’s Army, has ended.
“Sadly, umalis yung tao. Di nagpaalam kasi full alert status nga yung ating kapulisan at in-account ng force commander yung mga tao niya,” said Cabal, adding that they are still finding out why Bayot left.
Bayot was driving his sedan from Tagbilaran City to Tubigon when he was gunned down in Maribojoc on the day they were told to stay in Camp Dagohoy.
Meanwhile, the police are looking into multiple possible motives behind the fatal gun attack including family-related conflict and work-related matters.
According to Cabal, Bayot’s father Carlito Bayot who was also a policeman died in an ambush in the hinterlands of Calape way back in 2003.
“We have to check the connection baka may mga family grudges, old grudges or work-related kasi dating operative din sa drugs si Bayot sa Cebu province,” he said.
Cabal also noted that Bayot underwent a month-long moral recovery program (MRP).
Those placed under the program are usually those who have complaints against them and those who have committed violations.
“Pagka merong mga reports ang citizens na abusado, tapos hindi maganda ang pakitungo sa public tapos hindi marunong sumunod sa mga officers at may mga illegal activities yan yung mga napupunta sa moral recovery program,” said Cabal.
However, the police director noted that they are still pulling out the records of Bayot to determine why he was included in the MRP.
‘Good,’ silent man
Cabal meanwhile has issued a directive for the BPPO to offer cash assistance of P10,000 to the family of the slain police officer.
For his part, Chief Master Sgt. Joshua Limaco, one of Bayot’s team leaders at the PMCF Ubay detachment, said that Bayot was a “good man” and was not engaged in any known conflict against his colleagues and the public.
Bayot was “quiet” and kept to himself, he added.
“Sa iyang pagkataw, hilumon ra man siya. Di ingon na garaon siya. Inig atubang, kung imong istoryahan, mo storya pero kung wa, wa ra pud,” Limaco said.
Bayot was shot dead using M16 rifles while he was driving his Toyota Corolla along a national road in Barangay Guiwanon, Maribojoc on Monday night while his wife Richelle who was sitting in the passenger’s seat was hit in the leg and arm.
Police found 21 empty shells fired from M16 rifles around the bullet-riddled vehicle.
Cabal confirmed on Tuesday that Richelle who was taken to a hospital in Tagbilaran City was already in stable condition. (with A. Doydora)