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Thursday, March 18, 2004
Tarlac board member accused of 'coddling' crime suspects
By Minerva Zamora-Arceo
A FAMILY in Barangay Cut-Cut II, Capas, Tarlac, has accused a Provincial Board (PB) member of allegedly coddling two crime suspects who earlier hacked and stabbed a barangay tanod chief.
Hospital officials gave the victim a 50-50 chance of survival.
Sun.Star Pampanga learned from Mercedez P. Umali, a resident of Sitio Kawili-wili, Barangay Cut-Cut II, that Tarlac Board Member Rolando Pineda of the province's third district took into custody Blady Banag and his brother, Noel Banag, also of Barangay Cut-Cut II, after they hacked and stabbed Domini M. Umali, 45, last March 6.
Domini is the chief tanod of Barangay Cut-Cut II.
According to Mercedez, sister-in-law of Dominic, the barangay tanods conducted a routinary checkup on all tricycles plying without a license last March 6 at about 7 a.m. in Sitio Kalangitan, Cut-Cut II.
Domini, along with the other barangay tanods, allegedly flagged a Honda tricycle that belonged to Blady Banag. It was reported that the tricycle has no registration and permit to operate from the Office of the Mayor and the Capas municipal police.
Banag was apparently allegedly offended by the inspection by Dominic and immediately fled but returned hastily this time with seven other male relatives.
Mercedez said upon his return, Banag showed a gun and uttered expletives against Dominic. He went away afterwards only to come back later.
At about 3 p.m. the same day, Banag returned to the barangay outpost with his brothers, Noel, Marlon and Nognog, and their father, Dominador Banag, Sr.
This time, Blady hacked Domini's left arm straight away while Noel allegedly simultaneously stabbed the victim in his left abdomen.
Domini suffered multiple injuries and was treated at the Tarlac Provincial Hospital.
The incident was recorded at the Barangay Cut-Cut II and reported to the Capas municipal police.
Barangay tanods Venancio Ignacio, Felix A Molina, Arthur Valdez, Santiago Feliciano, Dionisio Valdez and Jimmy Salvan attested and signed as witnesses in the said crime against Domini.
However, in a surprise move, the Banags allegedly sought refuge at Pineda's house.
Pineda and another Tarlac board member, Carlito David, allegedly accompanied the Banags to the municipal police on the same day.
Blady and Noel Banag, however, allegedly stayed with Pineda until the 48-hour reglamentary detention period supposedly to be imposed against the suspects, has lapsed.
(March 18, 2004 issue)
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