By: Robert C. Dejon | December 16, 2021
A Sangguniang Barangay member, a chief tanod and a Lupon Tagapamayapa chief were killed after being gunned by suspected members of Private Armed Groups (PAGs) past midnight on December 16 at Purok 1 & 2 of Brgy. Cagbanyacao, Calbayog City.
Calbayog City Chief-of-Police (COP) Police Lt. Col. Teodulfo C. Manatad III identified the victims as Jonas Casaljay y Baladhay, 46, married, a resident and a barangay kagawad of the said barangay; Miguel Galvan y Calagos, 54, married and the barangay’s chief Lupon Tagapamayapa; and Benedicto Dacara y Cailo, 34, with common-law wife and the chief tanod of the said barangay.
Initial investigation revealed that around 6:53AM of December 16, the Calbayog City Police Office (CCPO) received a call from Brgy. Cabanyacao Chieftain Conrado Calagos y Magbutay informing an alleged shooting incident that transpired past midnight that day.
The operatives, together with personnel from the 43rd Infantry “We Search” Battalion, PA and the Calbayog Forensic Unit, immediately responded to Cabanyacao. The barangay is around 45 minutes of travel time from the city proper. Upon arrival, responding operatives found the dead bodies of Dacara and Casaljay at the road of Purok 2 while Galvan was found dead inside his house.
Investigation further revealed that the victims were inside their respective houses when a group of armed men wearing camouflage suddenly arrived and forcibly entered their houses. Once inside, the suspects were heard asking the victims to surrender their firearms.
The victims refused to heed the suspects’ request. Dacara and Casaljay were then dragged outside their houses and was gunned several times to the head and other parts of their bodies while Galvan was gunned inside his house. After the shooting, the suspects plainly fled on foot towards the mountainous area of the said barangay.
The suspects were identified, however, as Edito ‘Jimboy/Kier’ Ampoan, of legal age, married, jobless; Edmund ‘Papa Imu’ Ampoan, of legal age, married, jobless;Eddie ‘Nene’ Ampoan, of legal age, jobless; a certain Ikpol, of legal age, jobless; a certain Jay-r Doinog, of legal age, jobless; and a certain Tata, of legal age and jobless. All suspects are residents of Brgy. Mahayag in the Municipality of Sta. Margarita, Samar and are still at-large as of press time.
Responding operatives then launched a hot pursuit operation for the possible arrest of the fleeing suspects while the cadavers of the casualties were brought to a local funeral parlor for post mortem examination.
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