Shooting incidents
in Eastern Samar will not affect polls - PRO8
By RPCRD, Police Regional
Office 8
May 11, 2013
CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte –
The shooting incidents that transpired the last two days in Eastern
Samar will not affect the conduct of midterm elections in the province
as Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) director Police Chief
Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria ordered massive manhunt operations
against the four gunmen who attacked a policeman securing a polling
center in a remote village in Borongan City, Eastern Samar’s capital,
early Saturday morning.
“Our men are risking their
lives just to protect the sanctity of the automated election system (AES)
machines deposited in polling centers and ensure a credible
elections,” said Soria, who enjoined the Estehanons to pray for the
family of slain cop POI Agerico Afable who was gunned down by the
unidentified assailants at around 4:00 o’ clock in the early morning
Saturday while acting as security personnel at Calingatngan Elementary
School in Brgy. Calingatngan situated some 15 kilometers from Borongan
city proper.
POI Afable and Glicerio Gema,
a village watchman, were guarding the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS)
machines deposited at said school when four armed men suddenly arrived
and shot them.
The policeman died on the
spot after being hit in the right shoulder and stomach while Gema was
hit in the different parts of his body and was rushed to Eastern Samar
Provincial Hospital for medical attention.
Another barangay tanod,
whose identity was withheld for security reasons, pretended to be dead
and left unharmed by the suspects who fled on foot towards the back
portion of the school leading to Calingatnan river bringing with them
Afable’s 9mm service firearm.
Responding policemen
recovered in the crime scene two deformed slugs of 9mm, five live 9mm
ammunitions, 4 spent shells of 9mm, one misfired 9mm ammo and another
live 9mm ammunition 100 meters from the back portion of the school.
The PCOS machines deposited
in the classrooms were left untouched by the suspects and policemen
were deployed in said school to secure them.
Troops from Eastern Samar
Provincial Public Safety Company (ESPPSC) are now conducting manhunt
operations against the perpetrators.
Pending the result of the
investigation and the establishment of its motive, Soria declined to
comment if the incident is in any way connected to Monday’s polls.
Despite of the two
consecutive shooting incidents, Soria assured that the peace and order
situation in Eastern Samar is within manageable level.
On Friday, a shooting
incident also occurred in Brgy. Japunan, San Policarpo town wherein
one person was killed and two others were wounded.
“These incidents will not
affect the conduct of the elections in the area,” the police regional
director averred.