Gun used in slay of Abra bet's driver one of seized firearms - police

MANILA, Philippines - A .45 caliber pistol which was among the eight firearms confiscated during the killing of a driver of a mayoral bet in Abra on April 29 was fired at the victim, police said yesterday.

Superintendent Dalmacio Magantino, chief of the crime laboratory of the Cordillera police said one of the 12 empty shells recovered in Barangay Cosili West in Bangued where driver Mario Acena was killed was fired from the .45 caliber .

Magantino said they recovered three slugs from a .45 caliber in Acena’s body while two others were found underneath. He said the police also confiscated two .45 caliber pistols, an M16 Armalite rifle, a baby Armalite, a shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver, a 9mm caliber pistol and a hand grenade.

Cordillera police director Chief Superintendent Villamor Bumanlag ordered the cross-matching of the confiscated firearms and the slugs and empty shell in the crime site to help identify the killers of Acena, a driver of mayoral bet Ryan Luna.

Bumanlag filed murder charges against Luna’s chief rival Bangued Mayor Dominic Valera and his police escort PO2 Joseph Barreras after two witnesses pointed to them as responsible for the killing of Acena.

Valera vehemently denied the charges against him.