Chief tanod hurt in strafing

CEBU, Philippines - On the eve of the elections, three incidents related to the polls took place in the 4th District, which is one of the hotly contested areas under close watch by authorities.

In the first incident, the chief of the barangay tanods of Cayang, Bogo City was hurt when a still unidentified person strafed his house early dawn.

Crisanto Ochea, 54, sustained three gunshot wounds on his back and shoulder, but was lucky to have survived the attack.

PO3 Allan Dosdos, who is investigating the incident, told The FREEMAN that at around 1 a.m. Ochea and his wife heard a burst of gunfire and they tried to seek cover under their bed.

Despite this, Ochea was still hit thrice when bullets pierced the concrete wall. Luckily his wife survived unhurt.

Police recovered 50 empty shells of M-16 ammunition, 16 empty shells of 7.36 mm ammunition and 12 deformed slugs.

Sr. Supt. Erson Digal, director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, said that this is the first time that somebody was hurt in a strafing incident in Bogo.

This was the fifth time this election season that a house was strafed.

Ochea said that last week, when they’re having a rally, he was allegedly approached by Chad Salimbangon, son of Vice Mayoralty candidate Cesar Salimbangon, and was told in the vernacular, “Ayaw panghilabot, pamilyado raba ka, katultol baya mi sa inyoha.”

Chad Salimbangon, in a talk with The Freeman last night clarified that he just asked the chief tanod to help watch their campaign materials so that these would not be removed.

He said that when he came back the next day, they could not anymore find the tarpaulin streamers that were put up so he asked Ochea if he knew who took them. 

Salimbangon said that the tanod chief just shrugged and said that they did not know who took down the campaign materials.

It was at this point that he told the chief tanod that their candidates are looking at the future of the people of their city and their group (Salimbangons) would like to give them a better future.

Chad said that he was never threatening and was only trying to explain why his aunt (Mariquita Yeung), uncle (Rep. Benhur Salimbangon) and father are trying to do to alleviate the lives of the people.

A supporter of the Salimbangons also complained of being mauled by congressional aspirant Celestino ‘Tining’ Martinez III.

Martinez denied the accusation of Wendel Cantay, 35, of barangay Bungtod, Bogo City.

Cantay was one of five men, who were nabbed by the anti-crime volunteers of Bogo on suspicion that they were hired goons.

Arrested with Cantay were Jose Reden Escanelia, Melvin Jealan Jarina, Edgar Merdare, Rolando Ortega, and Roy Mercader all of Daanbantayan town.

Cantay claimed that they were brought to the police station where he was allegedly mauled.

Confiscated from the group were a .38 caliber and a .45 caliber pistol and an undetermined amount of cash.

He denied ownership of the guns, but claimed that the money was solicited by their group from Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura, who is a candidate for board member of the 4th District.

Lawyers of Salimbangon’s camp said that they will file the appropriate charges against Martinez.

In another incident, a ‘pulong-pulong’ held by Canlohangon barangay captain Carlito Tomdena in Tabuelan was allegedly also almost fired upon by suspected goons believed to be men of Deolito Almonacin, a supporter of Tabuelan Mayor Rex Gerona.

Tomdena claimed that six men onboard motorcycles stopped near the area where they were holding a meeting and shouted ‘tua ra ang kapitan ay.”

After this, one of the men allegedly pulled out a gun.

Tomdena said that he shouted to the political leaders to drop to the ground while he ran to his house to get a gun and he fired at the suspected goons forcing them to flee.

The barangay captain then immediately reported the incident to the police.

Almonacin is also a subject of a manhunt operation after high powered guns were recovered from his house and nine suspected goons were also arrested.

Chief Superintendent Lani-O Nerez, director of Police Regional Office (PRO-7), visited the 4th district particularly Bogo City and Tabuelan and directed that detachments be set up to help secure the safety of the residents.

During the visit of Nerez together with Digal, they found .45 caliber pistol with 16 live ammunition inside the barangay vehicle that was parked outside the house of Almonacin. — Lesley S. Caminade and Jose Sollano/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)