CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - The election officer of Apalit town survived an ambush on late Wednesday while he was on way home onboard his sports utility vehicle.
Apalit Election Officer Filomeno Eufemia Jr. said he was on his way home with Comelec employee Marilou Angeles to Purok 3, Barangay Cansinala in Apalit when waylaid by two unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen around 8:30 p.m.
"We were on the way home from Malolos when I noticed a single motorcycle tailing me in the dark curve at Purok 5 in San Simon in the boundary of Cansinala. Pagtapat sa akin, pinutukan nila ako ng baril (they fired at me), Eufremia said.
A single bullet from caliber .45 pistol pierced through the rear passenger side door, missing Eufemia, as it lodged in the back seat.
Eufemia said the gunmen then turned back and aimed the gun directly at the front windshield but the firearm jammed.
"I attempted to bump him but he just swerved back and aimed the gun at me but luckily, it jammed," said Eufemia adding the suspects immediately fled after he positioned his vehicle as a cover.
Eufemia said in front of the area where the incident happened was the home of a police officer from San Simon whom he sought help.
The police officer called his colleagues and came to the site. They flashed a report that motorcycle-riding gunmen might pass through Tabuyok or Capalangan in Apalit or Pulilan, he said.
Since police had checkpoints set-up in the said areas, one of the apprehended motorcycle-riding men matched Eufemia's description of the suspects whose faces were covered with handkerchief and caps.
"They [the suspects] did not have driver's licenses or identification cards. They told us they were from Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. They said that they left Cabiao at 8:30 p.m. but it was exactly the time the attempted ambush occurred," Eufemia said.
Pampanga Provincial Police Director Manuel Gaerlan said that at about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, four persons on board two motorcycles without plate numbers were arrested in a checkpoint along MacArthur Highway in Tulaoc junction road, Barangay San Agustin, San Simon town.
The arrested persons were identified as Joey Boy Madla, 19, Jimmy dela Cruz, 18, King Russel Cao, 18, and Price Noriel Hipolito, 18.
Gaerlan said Eufemia positively identified Madla as one of the suspected gunmen.
Eufemia said the attack may be politically-motivated as he recalled that the election in Apalit town was hotly contested.
Eufemia cited an incident with one Apalit-based religious sect and dropped the name of a recently elected official who said "guguluhin ko kayo, (I will fight you)" but later said the tussle with the official has long been settled.
"I told investigators the name of someone whom I think is behind this. Mawala man ako, may lead na ang police. Mainit na ako sa Apalit and I plan to go on leave. This is our protocol when politicians and people vent their ire on us," said Eufemia.
Gaerlan said that he has tasked Pampanga intelligence personnel to confirm if the ambush try is politically-motivated.
The suspects would undergo paraffin tests and results will be known on Saturday. (Jovi T. De Leon and Ric Sapnu of Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)