TAYUM, Abra – One person died while another individual was injured after armed men belonging to different groups were engaged in a gun fight at sitio Agdamay, barangay Budac, here, recently.
Police authorities identified the fatality as Jay-ar Tanura, 27, single, unemployed and a resident of barngay Gaddani, Tayum, Abra while his wounded companion was named as Jordan Calaustro Barcena, and a resident of barangay Budac, Tayum, Abra.
Probers stated that personnel of the Taum Municipal Police Station were informed by a concerned citizen that a shooting incident transpired at sitio Agdamay, barangay Budac.
It was at the same time that a mayoralty candidate in the municipality went to the said station to report that their campaign convoy was fired upon by still unidentified gunmen.
Responding police operatives were able to intercept a pick-up truck and apprehended the driver identified as Jomel Barbieto Molina, 21, a resident of sitio Quilob, barangay Budac, Taum, Abra and confiscated from him a caliber .45 pistol without serial number and marking inserted with one magazine.
Based on the initial police investigation, armed men allegedly belonging to the convoy of Tayum mayoralty candidate Kathlia Carino Alcantara and former Bangued Mayor Ryan Luna reportedly fired at the convoy of Budac punong barangay Walter Tugade where his companions Barcena and Tanura sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Barcena was rushed to the Seares Memorial Hospital for medical treatment but Tanura who was brought to the Abra provincial Hospital was declared dead on arrival.
Police discovered one bullet hole each on the intercepted black pickup truck belonging to Alcantara’s convoy while Barcena allegedly identified Luna and a certain Raffy Tajero as among the reported armed men on board one of the vehicles on the convoy of the mayoralty candidate.
Recovered along the highway were multiple ammunition cartridges for caliber .45 pistol and 5.56 mm firearms.
Another white pick up truck with a bullet hole was later found at Luna’s compound in barangay Dangdangla, Bangued.
In a statement, the Abra Provincial Police Office solicits cooperation from the people in maintaining peace in the province. The police vowed they are deeply investigating the incident at Tayum. By HENT
