Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño tagged the police officer gunned down by unidentified suspects in Corella Sunday evening as a drug protector.

The victim, SPO1 Rolex Tamarra, who was shot dead outside a cockpit in Barangay Sambog, protected arrested drug personalities in Bohol while he was still assigned in the province, Talino said.

Tamarra was also allegedly involved in the trade of illegal narcotics.

He was reassigned to the Mandaue City Police Office on May 1, 2016 from the Bohol police, but purportedly did not report to the police station without official notice.

In July, Tamarra was dismissed from service while he reportedly continued to engage in illegal activities.

Police are suspecting that the drug personalities protected by Tamarra were behind his murder, but the authorities noted that investigators still have to probe the angle.

Tamarra was shot multiple times with a .45 caliber pistol and sustained two gunshot wounds, one in his head and another in his chest, which caused his instantaneous death.

Police operatives recovered from the crime scene a cheque amounting to P2 million for Jinilda Malaay and dated August 15, 2009, 12 spent shells from a .45 caliber pistol, one loaded .38 caliber revolver and a wallet containing P300. (Allen Doydora)