Wounded cop cited for slay of nationwide crime syndicate head

BAGUIO CITY -- A police officer who was shot while foiling a robbery attempt by the leader of a nationwide crime syndicate was awarded Tuesday by Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Rolando Z. Nana Tuesday in a hospital of this summer capital.

SPO2 Noren Bandao, 36, of Windy Hill, Upper Buyagan, La Trinidad, Benguet now assigned at Atok Municipal Police Station was awarded “medalya ng sugatang magiting” or wounded personnel medal.

Nana also gave initial cash assistance to help defray hospital expenses of Bandao.

“The officer’s courageous action and bravery, at the risk his very own life resulted in the death of Jonathan Mayangao Cabradilla, resident of Irisan, Baguio City, leader of Cabradilla Robbery Group operating nationwide,” Nana said.

The suspect was earlier arrested in Cotabato for robbery, in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya and La Trinidad,” said a police report.

A report said Cabradilla had been using fictitious names as Jemark Lipangen and Jomar Mayangao. 

Prior to the incident, Bandao responded to a call for police assistance by a neighbor named Ainee Coga-an Marrero, 20, student, native of Kayan, Tadian and resident of the place of incident

who complained about a robber who was stealing her bag with the use of a bamboo stick inserted through the window around 3:30 a.m. July 14 at Windy, Hill. 

Bandao immediately responded and when he was about to arrest the suspect, the latter fired and hit SPO2 Bandao on his jaw causing him to feel dizzy.

He however returned fire before fatally hitting Cabradilla before totally losing consciousness.

Bandao was brought to Benguet General Hospital by concerned citizens, and was later transferred to another hospital for further treatment. 

At present, Bandao is waiting for an operation to remove the bullet embedded in his body, while the suspect’s remains was brought to his hometown in Bauko, Mountain Province.