Village chief nabbed for shooting councilmen

LEGAZPI CITY – A barangay chairman was arrested along with two others after they allegedly shot two village councilmen in Placer, Masbate on Saturday.

Francisco Jesus Racaza, 45, of Barangay Katipunan and his companions arrived in a van at the house of Alfon Pahilino, 36, and his brother Donald, 41, at around 9:30 p.m.

The suspects reportedly opened fire at the Pahilinos, who were not hurt in the incident.

Racaza and his companions fled in the same vehicle, but pursuing police officers arrested them shortly after.

Probers recovered from the crime scene bullet shells for a .45 caliber pistol and rifle, according to Superintendent Malou Calubaquib, spokesperson for the Bicol police.

The suspects were taken to the Placer police for questioning.

4 Reds captured

On the same day, Army troopers captured four suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas, believed to be members of a private armed group, following an encounter in the nearby town of San Fernando.

The encounter, which occurred at around 8:30 a.m. in Barangay Talisay, lasted five minutes, according to Capt. Joas Pramis, information officer of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division.

Arrested were Joseph Asuela, Ricky Fernandes, Tirso Cantre and Abel Altarejos, all of San Fernando.

Cantre and Altarejos suffered gunshot wounds. They were taken to the Masbate Provincial Hospital for treatment.

Asuela and Fernandes were taken to the local police for questioning.

Authorities recovered three revolvers, a pistol, five cell phones, documents and P85,220 in cash from the suspects.

‘Transfer poll canvass’

In Negros Occidental, police asked the local election officials to transfer the canvassing of votes in a village in Kabankalan City, where an encounter between the military and NPA left two soldiers dead and eight others wounded on Saturday.

The canvassing in Barangay Lantawan should be moved to the city proper for security reasons, according to city police chief Superintendent Rhea Santos.

She said residents living near the area of the encounter fled to the barangay proper.

Troopers belonging to the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion were conducting clearing operations in line with the synchronized barangay and SK elections when they figured in a clash with at least 60 rebels in Sitio Atubon.

The wounded soldiers were taken to a military hospital in Jamindan, Capiz.

The military lost an M16 rifle to the rebels, who were believed to be the same group that burned construction equipment and materials for a dam in the area.