Village councilor, 3 inmates killed in Talisay attacks

FOUR men—a neophyte barangay councilman and three inmates—were killed in separate brazen attacks yesterday morning in Talisay City.

Around 8 a.m., newly elected Lagtang Barangay Councilor Art Stephen Bas, 23, was ambushed by three men on two motorcycles on the Cebu South Coastal Road in Barangay Cansojong.

Bas is the grandson of Talisay City Councilor Arturo Bas and the son of former Lagtang barangay captain Ferdinand Bas.

An hour later, three Talisay City Jail inmates, including a man allegedly linked to the late drug lord Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz, were ambushed and shot by 16 men on several motorcycles in Barangay Linao.

They were in a jail van and were on their way to the courthouse for their arraignment when they were shot.

SPO4 Frederick Larrobis of the Talisay City Police Station said that Bas was driving his mother’s white Ford Everest on his way to school to take an exam when the assailants approached him on board their motorcycles.

Larrobis said the assailants took advantage of the traffic situation and positioned themselves on both sides of the vehicle of Bas, who was driving slowly that time.

Using .45 pistols, the assailants fired at Bas several times before fleeing. He died on the spot.

Thirteen empty shells of .45 caliber pistols were recovered by investigators from the crime scene yesterday.

No firearm, only Bas’ school bag, was recovered from the vehicle.

Larrobis said they have no idea yet who could be behind the ambush but they are checking various angles, including illegal drugs.

The victim’s father, Marc Ferdinand, was one of three barangay officials in Cebu identified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as being involved in the illegal drug trade before the May barangay elections.

He was arrested last year after firearms and a grenade were found inside his house. He resigned following his arrest.

Lawyer Rocky Bas, the victim’s uncle, urged the authorities to help their family find justice.

“We ask that his untimely death will not be among the many unsolved crimes because it is so painful for me and my family and we cannot move on until someone will be made to answer for this. Our family demands justice,” he said.

Bas was set finish his mechanical engineering course and graduate from the Cebu Institute of Technology University in October.

An hour after Bas was ambushed, three inmates of the Talisay City Jail were shot dead on their way to court. They were 300 meters away from the gate of the city jail in Barangay Maghaway when they were waylaid.

According to a report provided by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), inmates Yayam Gaviola, 40; Marwin Abelgas, 27; and Jovencio Rabadon, 36, were supposed to be brought to the Palace of Justice in Talisay City for their arraignment in the Municipal Trial Court in Cities 1.

The three were charged after they were caught smuggling shabu inside the jail.

Jail officers Eran Marquita and Clay Gutierrez escorted the three detainees using a van at 9:15 a.m.

On the road, the escorts encountered two men on a motorcycle that figured in an accident.

As the escorts stopped the vehicle to assist the two men, they found themselves being held at gunpoint by the two motorcycle riders who also disarmed them.

Fourteen men on six motorcycles suddenly appeared and approached the van.

Marquita attempted to shoot one of men who held them but he was shot in the chest.

Luckily, he was wearing a bullet-proof vest and suffered only minor injuries.

The suspects then opened the jail van and fired several times at the three detainees before fleeing.

Responding jail personnel brought the three detainees to the Talisay City District Hospital but they were declared dead on arrival.

Police are still trying to determine the motive behind the shooting.

Chief Insp. Mary Jane Inopia, Talisay City Jail warden, said that only Gaviola and Abelgas are facing illegal drug charges.

Abelgas was arrested by PDEA in 2017 for illegal drug trafficking. He was identified by a PDEA 7 official as the heir of Jaguar Diaz, while Gaviola was identified as a “high-profile inmate” due to his alleged connections to illegal drug sellers.

Last year, Gaviola was charged after he was caught allegedly smuggling illegal drugs inside the Talisay jail during a surprise inspection.

Rabadon is facing a frustrated murder case. (JKV)