Saturday, September 27, 2008
Volunteer’s death ‘not due to strict policy’
By Garry Cabotaje
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
AN OFFICIAL of a homeowners’ group in Talisay City yesterday dismissed speculations that the killing of anti-crime volunteer Reynaldo Bantilan has something to do with the subdivision’s one entry, one exit policy.
This as relatives of Armando Horandoy, Bantilan’s assailant, accused the police of not bringing him immediately to the hospital for treatment.
Baltazar, Horandoy’s elder brother, called for a police lineup to identify the policeman who allegedly blocked his nephew, Eudes Jr., and kept him from taking the wounded man to the hospital.
Baltazar said he has no idea if his brother had a firearm, as the latter merely engaged in a small-time puso (wrapped rice) business.
Bantilan, also known as Abdul Faizal, was merely waiting at the guardhouse for his stepdaughter when shot by Horandoy past 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Despite his three gunshot wounds, Bantilan managed to fire back, fatally hitting Horandoy twice in the right buttock and armpit.
Theory
Both men died at the Talisay City District Hospital.
Manuel Abong, Tierra Grande Homeowners’ Association Inc. (TGHAI) president, theorized that Bantilan’s efforts to prevent intruders from hanging out at the subdivision’s clubhouse could have spawned the attack.
Bantilan, 32, was a Tierra Grande peace and order volunteer formerly assigned to maintain order at the clubhouse.
Prior to Abong’s presidency last year, outsiders reportedly used the hilltop clubhouse for pot sessions, fraternity hazing activities and dating area.
The slain civilian volunteer even took time to sleep overnight at the clubhouse upon the request of the nearest homeowners, Abong said.
The TGHAI recently enforced a one entry, one exit policy to monitor all incoming and outgoing vehicles.
The scheme bars tricycles and motorcycles-for-hire (habal-habal) without TGHAI stickers from entering the subdivision.
The shootout took place at the designated exit point of the subdivision, just across Bantilan’s housing unit at Phase I.
Lawmen, led by Insp. Rolando Ong, responded after PO2 Leandro (not Reynaldo) Azarcon, the desk officer, received the call about the shooting at 7:14 p.m.
No firearms were recovered at the scene, only two empty shells for a .45 pistol.
Abong said the incident has encouraged them to impose strict security measures at Tierra Grande.
Initially, Abong said they plan to require all vehicle owners to get a subdivision access sticker.
Senior Insp. Jovito Canlapan, Talisay City Police Station acting chief, said he will look into the alleged failure of his men to save the wounded Horandoy.
As a standard procedure, saving the lives of the wounded persons at the crime scene is the highest priority, he said.
However, Canlapan rejected calls of the Horandoys to hold a police lineup, saying it would be unfair on his men.
The police official called instead on the Horandoys, who hail from Maghaway, to come to his office for an inquiry.
Eudes Jr. told reporters that his uncle Horandoy still had a pulse when he arrived at the scene.
However, a policeman reportedly told him to back off when he tried to lift Horandoy.
“The policeman warned me instead that I could be charged with tampering of evidence,” he said in Cebuano.
Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria said he will look into the report.
He said he will send a police officer to inquire from those present if it was true the police took too long to bring the wounded man to the hospital.
The PNP’s Nissan Terrano later transported Horandoy to the city district hospital in Barangay San Isidro, he said.
Wilmer Alcontin, Horandoy’s alleged cohort and resident of Barangay Inayagan, Naga City, was also wounded in the shootout and treated at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Center in Cebu City.
Bantilan reportedly hit Alcontin in the left arm. The latter and Steve Echavez, the suspects’ hired habal-habal driver, sped off towards Maghaway aboard a black Honda motorcycle.
PO2 Marciano Parayday, a Tiera Grande homeowner and Minglanilla town policeman, happened to be at the scene when the suspects’ motorcycle crashed along the way.
The unsuspecting Parayday reportedly tried to help them but was shot instead by Alcontin.
When Alcontin missed, Parayday reportedly returned fire, hitting the suspect in the stomach.
The wounded Alcontin fled on foot while Echaves was arrested and detained at the PNP detention cell.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 27, 2008 issue)
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