Bontoc, Mountain Province – Murder charges are being prepared by police operatives against two individuals, who voluntary surrendered recently, after being linked to the brutal killing of an official of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), here. Police authorities described the two who surrendered as a dismissed army man and an active Intelligence officer of the armed forces.
The duo allegedly gave themselves up to the officials of the 5th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines based in Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela several days after the alleged perpetration of the crime.
It can be recalled that Chief Inspector Benjamin Challoy, an official of the HPG in Bontoc, was shot dead by three unidentified armed men while in front of his house in Poblacion, here, Sunday night. One of the three armed men is still at large and is now the subject of a man hunt operation by local police investigators. Challoy, 40, married, and a native of this capital town, sustained multiply gunshot wounds on his head and chest due to the said incident and was pronounce dead on arrival at the Bontoc General Hospital (BGH). Probers recovered from the crime scene multiple spent shells and fired bullets of a .45 calibre pistol which was used by the suspects in the commission of the crime.
See related story: Police major gunned down in Bontoc
Witnesses saw the three suspects ran towards the residence of Challoy’s neighbour after the shooting incident.
Investigators are still establishing the motive behind the brutal murder of the police officer, who was also the former chief of the Bontoc Municipal Police Station. By DEXTER A. SEE.