BANGUED, Abra – A 50-year municipal councillor died while two other victims were injured in separate shooting incidents in the different parts of the province Monday.
Senior Superintendent Albertlito S. Garcia, officer-in-charge of the Abra provincial police office, said the first shooting incident transpired around 7:5 am at sitio Barbarsic, barangay Baug, San Juan town where the victim, Councilor Remegio Bolante Tagudar, 50, married and a resident of Puglay, Bagaug, San Juan, died after he was fired upon by three gunmen along the road leading to the municipal hall.
Initial police investigation showed the municipal councillor was on board his motorcycle on his way to the municipal hall to attend the regular flag raising ceremonies when he was fired upon by the three gunmen that earlier positioned themselves along the road at sitio Barbarsic, Baug, San Juan.
The victim, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body, was immediately rushed to the Abra provincial hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by attending physicians.
Responding police operatives and elements of the scene of the crime operation (SOCO) team recovered from the crime scene eight spent shells of one caliber .45 pistols that were used by the suspects in the perpetration of the crime.
In a followup operation, Gracia said the three suspects were able to be collared by elements of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and combined police operatives in sitio Puglay, Baug, San Juan.
He identified the arrested gunmen as Elmo Bernardez Reyes, 51, single, resident of Sitio Pacok, Barangay Talampak, Lacub, Abra; Virgilio del Monte Bobila 36, single, resident of Barangay Talampak, Lacub, Abra and Constante Molina Valeros, 45, single, resident of Poblacion Lacub, Abra.
Recovered from the suspects were one one (1) colt cal.45 with serial number SN 90238 in the possession and one (1) colt MK IV cal.45 with serial number SN 978814 and three (3) live ammunition of said caliber in the possession.
Charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms are now being prepared for filing against the arrested suspects before the provincial prosecutor’s office.
The arrested suspects are now detained at the Abra provincial jail awaiting the resolution of the prosecutor’s office on the charges filed against them.
At around 5:15 pm, two individuals were injured and are now undergoing treatment at the Abra provincial after hospital after they were fired upon by a still unidentified gunman along Capitulation St. corner Partelo St., Zone 2 here.
Garcia identified the injured individuals as Eduard Millare Rosario, 30, married, jobless and a resident of barangay Isit, Dolores, Abra and Rachelle Ann Bondame Reyes, 23, single, Clerk at the Abra Provincial Hospital and a resident of barangay Calaba, Bangued, Abra.
Probers disclosed that Rosario just came from the Bangued Public Market and was about to get a tricycle conveyance to bring him to a jitney station located at Zone 7, Bangued, Abra when he was shot by the still unidentified gunman.
Likewise, Reyes a customer in a shop located near the crime scene was also hit by an alleged stray bullet.
Rosario sustained one gunshot wound at his left lateral neck (nape) and one gunshot wound at his left lower gum while Reyes sustained one (1) gunshot wound/contusion on her left lateral neck (nape). Both victims were immediately brought to the Abra Provincial Hospital (APH) and now confined thereat.
The suspects, on board a black Honda XRM with unidentified license plate, fled towards the west direction and dragnet operations are now being conducted by the police to effect his arrest.
Responding SOCO operatives were able to recover from the crime scene one fired cartrage of calibre .45 pistol, one fired bullet and blood stains for evidentiary purposes.
Garcia said the shooting incidents in the province are isolated incidents and that the police is still in full control of the peace and order situation provincewide.
By Dexter A. See
