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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Twin murders mar Abra's peace
By Ernie Olson Jr.
BAGUIO CITY -- A lawyer and a security guard were killed by unidentified gunmen in Bangued, Abra in separate incidents over the weekend, disrupting the province's newly found peace.
Abra for sometime was known as the killing field of the north, but Cordillera Police Regional Director Eugene Martin said Abra's peace and order situation has significantly improved and the province's tag as killing field of the north is no longer fitting.
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But just over the weekend, lawyer Demetrio Villamor Pre, 75, who resided at Fratt Street, Zone 4, Bangued, Abra was shot dead by one of two still unidentified gunmen who entered his house while he was in a meeting with a client.
This was followed by the shooting of Efren Zapata Bersalona, 32, a municipal security guard, who lived in Banacao, Bangued, Abra while working at the Bangued Municipal Hall.
In the first incident, Pre was discussing a civil case with one of his clients, Doming Banes, regarding the scheduled hearing on Monday (April 21) when two men riding a motorcycle suddenly stopped in front of his residence.
One of the assailants stayed outside while the other one entered the house and shot the lawyer twice, hitting him in the head.
The killers fled on board the same motorcycle. Police recovered two spent shells of .45 pistol at the crime scene.
Pre was immediately rushed to the nearby Seares Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.
Lawyer Sergio Paredes, chapter president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Abra, condemned the killing of Pre.
"The Abra police should conduct their investigation properly so that they can apprehend the killer and also the brains of the crime," he said.
Pre used to be the notary public of majority of former governor Vicente Valera.
Hours after Pre was shot dead, police received a report on the shooting of Bersalona. Bersalona was making his rounds within the Bangued Municipal Hall when shot dead.
Bersalona sustained 14 gunshot wounds in the body that caused his instant death. The assailant escaped after the incident.
Responding policemen recovered from the crime scene 14 spent shells from a caliber 5.56 assault rifle. (Sun.Star Baguio/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (April 23, 2008 issue)
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