8 killed in Kalinga, Isabela encounters

CAMP ADDURU, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan — Eight were killed while five others were wounded in separate encounters in neighboring Kalinga and Isabela provinces this week, police said the other day.

Five persons, identified as Victorino Calaje, Liza Bacuyag, Aset Balinsat, Fred Bacuyag and a still unidentified male civilian, were killed on Thursday after two unidentified highway robbers sprayed their van with bullets in Coner town, Kalinga. 

Robert Abella, Arthur Pamittan and his wife, Vergie, Linda Aguio and eight-year-old Michael Aglob were wounded in the incident. Abella was the driver of the Kia van, which the armed suspects fired at after divesting its passengers of their cash and valuables.

The victims were on their way to Tuguegaro City when they were held up by the suspects along an isolated stretch of the mountain highway between Barangays Mayomoy and Buluan in Conner, Kalinga.

A day before the Kalinga incident, three persons suspected to be involved in carabao rustling were killed in a shootout with police in Barangay Calanguigan, Quezon in Isabela.

The slain suspects were identified as Falge Balangue, Dalog Dangane and a certain Mundo. Operatives led by Police Inspector Vicente Blancad chanced upon them while they were reportedly leading two carabaos.

Reports said the suspects fired at the operatives, triggering a firefight that lasted for about 15 minutes. Recovered from the scene of the encounter were caliber .22 and caliber .38 pistols owned by the suspects.