Shooting incidents in Eastern Samar will not affect polls - PRO8

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
May 11, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The shooting incidents that transpired the last two days in Eastern Samar will not affect the conduct of midterm elections in the province as Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) director Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria ordered massive manhunt operations against the four gunmen who attacked a policeman securing a polling center in a remote village in Borongan City, Eastern Samar’s capital, early Saturday morning.

“Our men are risking their lives just to protect the sanctity of the automated election system (AES) machines deposited in polling centers and ensure a credible elections,” said Soria, who enjoined the Estehanons to pray for the family of slain cop POI Agerico Afable who was gunned down by the unidentified assailants at around 4:00 o’ clock in the early morning Saturday while acting as security personnel at Calingatngan Elementary School in Brgy. Calingatngan situated some 15 kilometers from Borongan city proper.

POI Afable and Glicerio Gema, a village watchman, were guarding the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines deposited at said school when four armed men suddenly arrived and shot them.

The policeman died on the spot after being hit in the right shoulder and stomach while Gema was hit in the different parts of his body and was rushed to Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital for medical attention.

Another barangay tanod, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, pretended to be dead and left unharmed by the suspects who fled on foot towards the back portion of the school leading to Calingatnan river bringing with them Afable’s 9mm service firearm.

Responding policemen recovered in the crime scene two deformed slugs of 9mm, five live 9mm ammunitions, 4 spent shells of 9mm, one misfired 9mm ammo and another live 9mm ammunition 100 meters from the back portion of the school.

The PCOS machines deposited in the classrooms were left untouched by the suspects and policemen were deployed in said school to secure them.

Troops from Eastern Samar Provincial Public Safety Company (ESPPSC) are now conducting manhunt operations against the perpetrators.

Pending the result of the investigation and the establishment of its motive, Soria declined to comment if the incident is in any way connected to Monday’s polls.

Despite of the two consecutive shooting incidents, Soria assured that the peace and order situation in Eastern Samar is within manageable level.

On Friday, a shooting incident also occurred in Brgy. Japunan, San Policarpo town wherein one person was killed and two others were wounded.

“These incidents will not affect the conduct of the elections in the area,” the police regional director averred.