BUCAY, Abra – One person was killed after a fierce gun battle between members of a still unidentified private armed group (PAG) and personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) along the Bucay-Manabo Road, particularly at Sitio Nagsalangan, Barangay Layugan, here, Monday dawn.
Police authorities identified the fatality as Romnick Balmaceda, a resident of Calumbaya, Dolores, Abra.
Earlier, personnel of the Bucay Municipal Police Station and 2nd Abra Provincial Mobile force Company (PMFC) were conducting mobile patrol operations along the said area when they chanced upon more or less ten armed personalities along the roadside.
For still unknown reasons, the armed men allegedly fired at the patrolling police personnel that resulted into a running gun battle.
Balmacea reportedly sustained a gunshot wound on his leg and was rushed to the nearby Assumpta Family Hospital for medical treatment but later expired.
His armed companions were able to escape to different directions that caused the law enforcers to conduct hot t pursuit operations against the armed suspects to be able to identify the newly established armed group where they belong.
There were no reported casualties on the part of the responding police personnel who are now conducting the hot pursuit operations against the fleeing armed men.
Recovered pieces of evidence at the encounter site were 1 loaded M-16 rifle; 4 magazines of M-16 rifle with ammunitions; and numerous fired cartridge cases of M-16 rifle. By Dexter A. See
