Saturday, July 12, 2008 Power coop worker killed By Ernie N. Olson Jr.
AN EMPLOYEE of the Abra Electric Cooperative (Abelco) was shot dead by four men while on his way to work onboard a motorcycle in Bangued, a police official said.
Cordillera Police Regional Director Eugene Martin identified the fatality as Joel Bañes alias Rex Boy, 37, of Zone 7, Bangued, Abra.
Martin said on July 7, the victim was driving at Abra-Kalinga Road on board his Kimko motorcycle when the killers shot him repeatedly.
Witnesses rushed Bañes to the Abra Provincial Hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor there.
Responding Bangued policemen found that the victim sustained several gunshot wounds in the body.
According to Abra Police Provincial Director Alexander Pumecha, the gunmen were described to be from 18 to 25 years old and with an average height of about 5'4".
Pumecha said Bangued policemen are still conducting a follow-up investigation to establish the motive behind the crime and to possibly identify the perpetrators.
