CATBALOGAN CITY – Unidentified armed men gunned down five persons including a mother and son and three other drug personalities in different areas and occasions in Samar’s most populated cities.
The police identified the latest victim as Noe Bachica alias Spike, 45, married, a motorized cab driver and resident of Purok 1 Barangay 13 this city, who was shot to death around 3 a.m. Friday, September 9.
Police said while the victim was driving his motorized cab marked Rusi bearing plate No. 1300 along Rizal Avenue, downtown of this city, three unidentified gunmen blocked and shoot him several times.
The victim suffered several gunshot wounds in his body which resulted to his instant death.
In the afternoon of September 7, a government employee Ariel Docabo, 33, a resident of Purok 1, Barangay San Pablo in Catbalogan City, who was then about to park his motorcycle with plate No. HA27344 in front of his house was also shot by unidentified gunmen resulting to his instant death.
The victim, who suffered several fatal gunshot wounds was rushed to Samar Provincial Hospital but later died while undergoing treatment.
In both shooting incidents, the suspects were wearing helmets and motorcycles with no plate numbers.
rPolice record show the victims were included in the police drugs watchlist.
In Calbayog City, a certain Leonardo Garalza, 37, married, was also shot by two unidentified suspects at about 4:45 p.m. of September 7, 2016 in Barangay East Awang, also in Calbayog City.
The police said, the victim, while driving his motorcycle on his way home, was shot by two gunmen several times using an unknown caliber.
The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds on his body which resulted to his sudden death. He was brought to a funeral home for post mortem examination.
Recovered from the crime scene were nine pieces of fired cartridges for .45 cal. pistol and a piece of cardboard with writings “Wag tularan pusher ako.”
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, unidentified gunmen shot to death a family in Calbayog City killing a mother and son while the husband survived.
The police identified the victims as Estrella Ollado, 53, married and village chairwoman of Barangay Guinbaoyan Norte Calbayog City and her son Ismael, 30.
The victim’s husband, Esmeraldo, was also shot but the firearm of the suspect malfunctioned which gave him chance to run and escape.
Police said the Ollado family were onboard a tricycle when the suspects appeared and shot them. Police have identified a certain Rogelio Salvame and three other John Doe's as suspects.
The suspets carted away from the victim’s possession cash money amounting to P80,000.
A bystander identified as Erika Rollo, who was texting in a corner, was hit by a stray bullet in her leg and was rushed to Calbayog District Hospital for medical treatment. Several empty shells of unknown firearms were recovered by the police at the crime scene.
The killings occurred amid the checkpoints set up by Samar police in strategic areas to avoid killings allegedly perpetrated by vigilante groups.
Records from the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas showed that from July 1 to August 29, 2016 there were at least 25 persons killed in legitimate anti-drug operations.
The figure, however, do not include the number of people killed by vigilante groups.
PNP Regional Director Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar said of the 25 drug personalities killed, 7 were in Leyte, 4 in Samar, 4 in Southern Leyte, 4 in Ormoc City, 3 in Northern Samar and 3 in Tacloban City.
In the 215 police anti-drug operations, at least 12,526.77 grams of shabu and 42.78 grams of marijuana have been seized with a total worth of P100.19 million. (Ricky Bautista)