One of Bohol’s most wanted persons, Emegdio Aparece, Jr. who has a P200,000-bounty on his head, along with three other suspects allegedly robbed the house of a barangay official in Buenavista town on Sunday afternoon.

Aparece who was armed with a pistol, carted away a shotgun worth P26,000, a bulletproof vest worth P15,000 and reportedly owned by Ubay Mayor Constan Reyes, and P64,000 in cash from the house of Barangay Captain Epitacio Escabas, said police.

According to Buenavista police chief Sr. Insp. Rolly Lauron, Aparece’s group, comprised of one Edwin Degamo and two unidentified men, may have intended to do more than just rob the re-electionist barangay official.

Escabas had earlier received a death threat from Aparece, said Lauron without elaborating on the history between the village official and the suspect.

However, Escabas was not home when the suspects broke into the barangay captain’s residence in Purok 2 of Barangay Baluerte.

Based on investigation of the Buenavista police, Maria Noreen Escabas, the village chief’s daughter, was home alone and watching television when she heard noises outside the house at around 5 p.m.

Maria checked what caused the noise and saw the four suspects right outside the house’s backdoor.

Two of the suspects were left stationed outside the house while Aparece and Degamo pushed Maria inside and ordered her to lie face down on the floor.

Aparece then pointed a gun at Maria and asked the whereabouts of Epitacio while Degamo went inside the master bedroom to get the shotgun, bulletproof vest and cash.

Maria who was left unharmed by the alleged robbers confirmed to police that one of the suspects was indeed Aparece, Lauron said.

Aparece was earlier tagged in the killing of two other barangay officials in Buenavista identified as barangay captain Antonio Neones Sr. and barangay councilor Ursolo Petalcorin.

The murders were allegedly carried out to silence the village officials after they tipped off authorities on Aparece’s whereabouts.

In February this year, Aparece was also allegedly involved in the killing of SPO1 Alejandro Estorgio amidst a large crowd in Buenavista during the town’s foundation day festivities.

The Buenavista Police Station with the support of the Bohol Provincial Police Office and the regional police command has since intensified efforts to apprehend the suspect, but so far, has come up short. (A. Doydora)