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Saturday, December 31, 2005
2 soldiers, 3 cops killed in bus shootout
By Ben Serrano and Lino Dela Cruz
SURIGAO CITY -- Two soldiers and three police officers were killed Thursday inside a passenger bus along the national highway in Barangay Timamana, Tubod, Surigao Del Norte.
The bus was on its way to Butuan City from Surigao City when the incident occurred.
The soldiers and police officers failed to identify themselves to each other, causing some tension that reportedly later led to a shootout between the two groups.
Fourth Infantry Division Civil Affairs spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Simbajon identified the soldiers who were killed as Privates Frederick Cacas and Rami Anyana, both assigned at the Army's 20th Infantry Brigade, 8th Infantry Division.
The slain policemen were identified as PO1 Ruel Bongolto, PO1 Emmanuel Casino, and PO1 Roel Aplanta, all assigned at the police office in Tandag, Surigao.
Tubod police precinct chief Rudy Landig said the three police officers boarded the Butuan City-bound Bachelor Bus Express and proceeded to the back portion of the vehicle. The two soldiers who boarded in Samar were already at the rear part of the bus when the policemen came up.
The confrontation supposedly occurred after the soldiers and the police officers became suspicious of one another.
Panicked passengers said afterwards they heard a sudden volley of gunshots from the rear portion of the bus, prompting them to jump out of the vehicle through the windows.
It was not known, however, who pulled the trigger first. Not one passenger in the fully loaded bus was hit by the stray of bullets.
An undetermined number though were said to have suffered from bruises and wounds. Some were brought to nearby hospitals or clinics while others opted to have their wounds treated at home.
Anyana and Cacas were reportedly on vacation and were headed home to the Cotabato and Davao provinces in time for New Year when they met their untimely deaths.
The three slain police officers were ordered to report to the Caraga PNP regional office in Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Libertad, Butuan City at the time of the incident.
Police investigators found empty shells of .45 caliber pistols at the crime scene.
Both the military and police are on "heightened alert" following threats of rebel attacks in the coming New Year in the region.
Caraga police regional director Chief Superintendent Rene Jamolod Elumbaring called for an in-depth investigation of the incident.
Fourth ID chief General Cardozo Luna, meanwhile, directed the commanding officer of the 402nd Brigade to conduct a thorough investigation on the incident with the coordination of the commanding officer of the 30th Infantry Battalion since the shootout occurred in their area of responsibility. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
(December 31, 2005 issue)
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