Hospitals checked for wounded ambusher of PDEA agent

CEBU CITY — Police investigating the ambush of a senior agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Carcar City will check hospitals in the area to see if one of ambushers who was wounded had sought medical treatment.

Von Rian Tecson was killed when his car was shot at Wednesday.

Witnesses said Tecson was able to return fire and hit one of the ambushers.

Tecson was the second PDEA agent to be killed in Central Visayas in two weeks.

Last July 27, Earl Rallos, PDEA regional head of operation, was also ambushed while he was driving his car in Barangay Capitol Site here.

Tecson, 41, was in a Ford Ranger pick-up truck driven by Arnulfo Bauyaban, who survived despite being shot in the leg.

The attack happened about 100 meters from Tecson’s house.

Witnesses told police the pick-up truck was hemmed in by two motorcycles and the riders started shooting at the vehicle.

Bauyaban, who jumped out of the vehicle when gunshots broke out, said Tecson was able to return fire and hit one of the gunmen.

The wounded gunman fell from his motorcycle but was picked up a red Pajero SUV, witnesses said.

Sr. Supt. Manuel Abrugena, Cebu provincial police chief, said investigators are checking Bauyaban’s story that Tecson was able to return fire before he was killed.

“We have yet to get the result of the paraffin test. We were not able to recover Tecson’s service firearm. It might have been taken by the assailants or by someone else,” Abrugena said.

Tecson was shot in the body and head.

At least 30 spent .45 caliber, 9mm and M-16 shells were recovered from the crime scene.

The victim’s brother, SPO1 Von Tecson, said Von Rian had confided to him that he and Rallos received threats after they arrested a big-time drug pusher.

“I advised him to be extra careful but he just laughed it off,” said SPO1 Tecson.

Abrugena said police are checking hospitals after reports surfaced that a man with a gunshot wound was brought to the South General Hospital in Naga City shortly after the ambush in Carcar.

Naga is a neighboring town of Carcar. Abrugena said his men were also looking at footage from security cameras in establishments near the crime scene.

The newly installed PDEA regional director, Wardley Getalla, advised his men to be more careful following the deaths of Rallos and Tecson.

“This is unfortunate but we will continue to do our job. The campaign against illegal drugs will continue,” Getalla said.

He said he will review all the cases Tecson handled in the hopes of identifying the people who could be behind the attack.