THE two suspects who killed three men and injured one bystander Wednesday dawn inside a videoke bar in Lapasan, this city are suspected members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Lt. Col. Michele Anayron, spokesperson of the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Camp Evangelista in Patag, said police have identified the two suspects through their last name as “Insp. Ladra” assigned in Zamboanga Peninsula and SPO1 Gumunit who is residing in Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental.
On Wednesday dawn, Cpl. Roque Tagalongan and Sgt. Michael Seno, both members of the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) of the 4ID, and Leo Acedo, 32, a resident of San Juan Lapasan, were killed by two men who opened fire inside C & N Videoke Bar in Valenzuela Road near the bus terminal in Agora, Lapasan.
Wounded during the incident was a certain Jun-jun Sabala, a resident of Villa Verde, Barangay Balulang, this city.
Initial police investigation showed that the two unidentified gunmen shot at the two soldiers with no apparent reason except for the glass that was accidentally broken by one of the soldiers.
The two suspects also shot Acedo who was supposed to ask about the incident.
Anayron denied reports that the military is planning to revenge the death of their comrades.
“Dili lang unta nila dauton ang PNP ug military especially that we have a good coordination. We leave the investigation to the police,” Anayron said.
SPO1 Francisco Granada, a member of the City Intelligence Detection Unit (Cidu), said they are now doing manhunt operations against the two suspects.
Witnesses said the suspects were reportedly seen drinking with a foreigner minutes before the incident.
Granada said they have already identified the foreigner and invited him over for questioning.
However, Granada said Michael Turner, an American national residing at Sta. Cecilia Village in Barangay Gusa, refused to give information regarding the identities of the suspects.
Turner said he doesn’t personally know the suspects and met them for a business transaction, whom he identified only as “Mario” and “Jun.”
Granada said Turner, who was accompanied by his lawyer Jose Pallugna during the investigation, said he left the bar after drinking two bottles of beer and didn’t know what happened.
However, City Police Director Benedicto Lopez refused to buy his alibi as he said they would file charges against Turner if he refused to cooperate. (ALR/Superbalita)