Frustrated murder charge filed vs village chief’s attackers

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan -- Two suspects were charged with frustrated murder Wednesday morning after they supposedly attempted to kill a barangay captain from San Fabian town last January 25.

Dave and Roldan Veloria were riding in tandem in a motorcycle when they allegedly shot Recto Orjeda several times.

Orjeda, the 57-year-old village chief of Nibaliw Narvarte in San Fabian, was at the passenger seat of the barangay patrol vehicle. He was with his son Roger, the driver, and one Joel Pasique when the incident happened around 5:50 a.m. of January 25.

Land dispute is considered to be the motive for the shooting, authorities said.

Orjeda, although wounded, managed to call the police station and report what transpired. He was immediately rushed to Villaflor Hospital in Dagupan City and is now due for discharge from the hospital.

San Fabian Police Chief Domingo Soriano said it was the victim himself who gave the identity of one of the suspects.

“Walang tint yong kanilang sasakyan, noong itinaas daw nong isang suspect yong visor ng helmet niya, nakilala niya kung sino ito,” the police chief said.

The suspects are now the subject of a police manhunt.

A case of frustrated murder against the suspects has already been filed before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Dagupan City. (Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre/Sunnex)