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Thursday, August 15, 2005
Ex-army goes on rampage; kills policeman-friend
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan and Ryan B. Lachica
HINIGARAN -- A 34-year-old former soldier assigned at the First Scout Ranger Regiment Force went on rampage dawn Sunday here.
Investigators here are still investigating as of presstime the reason why former Army Sergeant Salvador "Justo" Pedrigosa went berserk and killed his policeman-friend.
Report said it was about 3 a.m. Sunday when Pedregosa left their home at Sitio Tanulo, Barangay San Vicente, Binalbagan town.
It was later found out that he went to his policemen-friend's house in Barangay Gargato here.
He was, however, informed that his friend, SPO1 Nicasio Vicedo, was on duty at the 3rd Provincial Mobile Group also in the town. He then proceeded to the PMG headquarters.
At the gate, he asked Vicedo to allow him to enter the premises. But when the latter opened the gate, Pedregosa immediately stabbed Vicedo on the head twice.
Not yet contented, he took Vicedo's service M-16 armalite rifle and shot the policeman to death. After seeing Vicedo dead, the ex-soldier then flagged down an Isuzu Canter driven by Eduardo Mugdan.
He then manned the vehicle until they reached Tanulon Bridge in the area of Barangay Pilar here. He then alighted in the area.
At about 4 a.m., he started strafing the house of his uncle, Army Sgt. Richard Grande of the 66th Infantry Battalion.
Luckily, no one was hurt.
But Grande immediately called up policemen in the area as well as the PMG operatives.
Town policemen and those from Binalbagan town immediately responded on the call of Grande. Operatives from the 3rd PMG later joined them.
Pedregosa, on the other hand, added terror in the area when he shot the approaching patrol car of Binalbagan Police hitting the right door causing them to pull out from the area.
The suspect then shot the patrol car of Hinigaran Police, hitting its tire and front mirror. The police officers also pulled out from the area.
The suspect, not satisfied, continued with the rampage by strafing a speeding Ceres bus which was heading towards Tanulo bridge, this time injuring the driver, Victoriano Cordero, on the face near the left eye.
The suspect hid for safety inside the sugarcane field in Pilar.
Policemen, however, cordoned the area and waited until the suspect to come out from his hiding place. One hour after Pedregosa surfaced.
Without receiving any order from their superiors, the policemen showered the suspect with bullets. Pedregosa died on the spot.
The tragic event culminated at 6 a.m.
(August 15, 2005 issue)
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