The victim, Jean Abalos, daughter of Don Pepe Abalos, who owns a chain of lumberyards here and in neighboring towns, was on her way home aboard her Mercedes Benz when four armed men waylaid her at about 6:30 p.m.
The ambush occurred a few blocks away from the Abalos residence along Arvin street in Barangay Pansol this city. Jean sustained multiple gunshot wounds, killing her on the spot.
Two suspects, PO1 Roger Abulencia and PO2 Obeth Onte, both belonging to the Mimaropa (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) police force, surrendered to Chief Superintendent Enrique Galang, director of the Calabarzon police.
Being hunted down were PO1 Armando Macaraig and PO1 R. P. Ardez, also both members of the Mimaropa police.
SPO4 Rino Mendoza, who is handling the case, said Abalos bumped the suspects’ Lancer when they blocked her path. She drove backwards but hit a concrete wall, giving the assailants the chance to shoot her. Spent 9-mm and caliber .45 shells were found at the scene.
The suspects, Mendoza said, fled westward but their car got stuck in a muddy portion of La Vista Road. They abandoned the vehicle which responding policemen later found.
While guarding the Lancer, policemen flagged down a passing passenger jeepney, which incidentally carried Abulencia and three other persons.
The jeepney driver told the policemen that they were to tow a car stuck in mud. It was at this point that Abulencia introduced himself as a policeman and said a colleague asked him to help.
Probers later found out that Macaraig owns the Lancer. Documents found in the car’s compartment revealed the names of Onte and Ardez.
Murder charges are being readied against the four policeman-suspects. Police are still probing the motive for the ambush. — With Ed Amoroso