"Gun-for-hire" arrested for neighbor's death

CEBU, Philippines - A suspected gun-for-hire was arrested by the police yesterday for the death of a real-estate broker early last year at Barangay Toong, Cebu City.

Efren Sabal, 44, a farmer of Sitio Luyang of the same barangay, was arrested by elements of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Public Safety Company (PSC) near his house at around 2pm.

The police alleged that Sabal is a hired gun and was tagged as one of the two perpetrators who killed his neighbor, Vivencia Bacalso, 61, last August 20, 2011 and injured Bacalso’s daughter, Angeles Tabas, 30, and their house help Lonie Bentual, 20.

Sabal was arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 19 Judge Wilfredo Navarro for murder and frustrated murder on Feb. 8, 2012.

The suspect reportedly tried to escape the police but was later cornered a few meters from his house.

A cal. 45 pistol, with several live rounds of ammunition were also recovered from Sabal’s possession.

Supt. Carmelo Dayon, CCPO PSC chief, said Tabas and Bentual positively identified Sabal as one of the two gunmen who attacked them. Tabas allegedly saw Sabal and his cohort, Willy Sabella of Talisay City, go inside their house and suddenly fired at them.

Tabas said she was hit on the chest and slumped on the floor while her mother, Bacalso, was shot several times by the assailants.

Bentual, who was inside the house attending to Tabas’ child, heard gunshots, prompting her to rush out to the balcony of the house where she saw her employers’ bloodied on the floor.

She immediately rushed back inside the house but was shot on the leg by one of the gunmen.

Bentual pretended to be dead while one of the gunmen approached and checked if she was really dead. The assailants then immediately fled. Sabal simply denied the allegations saying he knew the victims and that he could not do such to them. “I’m just a farmer. I could not possibly do that,” he said.

He, however, admitted that he knew Sabella, whom he described to be also innocent. Sabella remains at large.

The police are still identifying the mastermind behind the incident. Land dispute was believed to be the motive behind the attack. (FREEMAN)