Drive-by shooting suspects? Cops nab 2 armed brothers

CEBU, Philippines - Two ex-convicts suspected to be behind the series of drive-by shooting incidents in Cebu City were arrested yesterday dawn by the police in Barangay Tejero.

Brothers Michael, 27, and Galy Secretaria, 26, of Barangay Ermita, were apprehended by elements of Cebu City Police Office’s Mobile Patrol Group around 3 a.m. along Gen. Maxilom Avenue.

A gray Toyota Corolla vehicle, which fit the description of the car used in the series of drive-by attacks, was also recovered from the two.

The two were arrested by police following an armed person alarm. 

Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of City Intelligence Branch, said they recovered two homemade .45 cal. pistols with several live ammunitions from the gray car bearing plate number GEJ -65.

Police also recovered two temporary car plates from the vehicle.

Santander said they are looking into whether the car was the one used in the series of drive-by shootings.

“We can’t rule them out unless witnesses confirm their involvement and positively identify the car. We also need to have enough evidence to implicate them in the drive-by attacks,” he said.

He said they still have to cross-match the evidence recovered from previous drive-by attacks with those recovered from the two.

The CCPO will also coordinate with the Firearms, Explosives, Security Agencies and Guards Section to check if the guns recovered from the two are licensed.

“The suspects could not give a definite reason why they were armed,” Santander said.

Galy, jailed for a year in 2006 for robbery, vehemently denied involvement in any drive-by attacks, saying they were only bringing guns for their protection.

He told The FREEMAN that they bought both the guns for P4,000 each a month ago.

“We came from a Mango Ave. (General Maxilom Avenue) and were on our way home to Ermita when we ran out of fuel,” he said.

Michael, who was jailed in 2009 for snatching, told reporters that the car they were riding was owned by her mother who is into jewelry business.

The two denied being members of any gang.

Murder Charge

Meanwhile, a murder charge was filed yesterday against alleged Bloods Gang hitman Rene Baclaan in connection with the recent drive-by shooting in Barangay Guadalupe.

The Cebu City Police Office filed the murder case against Baclaan, 22, a resident of Sitio Suran, Barangay Quiot, and two unidentified cohorts before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

They were accused of killing Anthony Gabunada along Duterte Street in Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe on February 12.

In their joint-affidavit, two minors said they witnessed the shooting incident and positively identified Baclaan as the triggerman.

They said while they and Gabunada were about to ride a jeepney for home along Duterte Street, a gray vehicle appeared.

“One of such person known to be as Rene Baclaan alias Insik who was positioning at the back, open the windshield and shot Gabunada several times causing the latter slumped on the ground,” their affidavit reads.

The witnesses said they immediately hid when the man on the front seat opened fire at them. They identified the man as Baclaan.

After the incident, the vehicle moved towards the corner of Duterte Street and V Rama Avenue.

Gabunada was rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

“That on February 21, 2012 when we learned that Baclaan was arrested for illegal possession of firearms we then proceeded to the said office and positively identified him as the one positioning at the back open windshield of the same gray car having shot Gabunada,” said the witnesses in their affidavit.

Earlier, Prosecutor Alex Gabud charged Baclaan with illegal possession of firearms before the court and recommended P80,000 bail for the suspect’s temporary liberty. — /LPM (FREEMAN)