Bohol PNP: probe on for spate of killings, gun attacks not linked

The top police official said there is no pattern showing that these incidents are perpetrated by one group as he declares there are no syndicated operations behind the recent killings. In fact, he said those killed are not in any way linked with one another.

He cited the recent killing in Ubay as a security escort who wanted to protect the victims from being robbed while the San Miguel murder case involved a former member of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The most recent killing in Inabanga town of a district supervisor of the Department of Education (DepEd), on the
other hand, was traced to a personal matter involving the victim.

Col. Batuan said there is no cause for alarm as he assured the public that Bohol remains to be a peaceful
province.

In fact, he lauded the Bohol PNP command for the quick arrest of the suspects in the robbery in a gasoline
station in Ubay town.

The continued influx of tourists and investors into the province is the best proof that Bohol remains to be
generally peaceful, the PNP provincial chief stressed.

GUARD KILLED

A security guard of a gasoline station in Ubay town was shot dead after he attempted to resist a robbery
perpetrated by motorcycle-riding men on Monday afternoon.

According to Captain Romar Labasbas, chief of the Ubay Police Station, two armed robbers who alighted from a
single Suzuki Raider motorcycle hit the Sailor Oil gas station along a national highway in Barangay San Pascual at
past 5 p.m.

The two unidentified men were able to take away P300,000.

“Base sa mga nakakita, duha ang nag sakay sa Raider na motor unya armado ang duha,” said Labasbas.

Based on witnesses’ testimonies, one of the robbers immediately approached security guard Marlowe Aparado,
29, of Guindulman town who attempted to stop the armed men.

This prompted the robber to shoot Aparado multiple times.

“Ang guard maoy una niyang gi duol unya mi aksyon og palag ang guard mao gi unhan sa [suspect],” said
Labasbas.

Marlowe was rushed to the Don Emilio Del Valle Hospital in Ubay but he was declared dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, another security guard identified as Pastor Terenueva also sustained gunshot wounds. He continued
to be treated for his injuries.

Labasbas noted that both men were wearing motorcycle helmets and had cloth covering their faces.

TWO SECURITY

GUARDS BEHIND

Two security guards and one other who allegedly robbed a gasoline station in Ubay earlier this week were arrested by police on Wednesday afternoon following a high-speed chase in Guindulman.

The suspects were spotted in Guindulman while riding a motorcycle, prompting police to chase them until they were cornered in Barangay Guinacot at around 5 p.m.

“Gi sundan namo ni sila segun sa mga nakuhang information sa atong mga witnesses ug informants didto sa
Guindulman,” said Labasbas.

The suspects were constantly moving from one place to another since the robbery was carried out
on Monday.

“Naa silay gitaguan mao atong gi himuan og surveillance pero moving sila mao kami sige og sunod hantod na
corner nato sila,” he added.

Two of the men who allegedly robbed the Sailor Oil gasoline station in Ubay were identified as Florencio Pelonia, 54, and Ligtas Ofamin, 37, security guards of Sailor Oil branches in Duero and Guindulman, respectively.

The other suspect was identified as Rogelio Edisa, Jr., 27, a native of Zamboanga Del Norte.

Police allegedly seized from their possession a .45 caliber pistol believed to have been used during the robbery
and P25,000 in cash.

The motorcycle used by the suspects was believed to have been the same one used during the robbery based on a
closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) footage.

Labasbas said Pelonia and Edisa were the ones who carried out the robbery which resulted in the death of a
security guard at the gasoline station in Ubay, while Ofamin served as the lookout.

Based on the same footage, one of the robbers shot the gasoline station’s security at point-blank range when the
latter confronted the suspects.

The security guard who was identified as Marlowe Aparado, 29, of Guindulman was still rushed to the Don
Emilio Del Valle Hospital in Ubay but he was declared dead on arrival.

All three alleged robbers have been placed under police custody pending the filing of charges against them for
robbery with homicide.

DEPED SUPERVISOR

DIES IN AMBUSH

A public school district supervisor of the Department of Education was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding men who were riding in tandem along a national highway in Inabanga town on Thursday afternoon.

PNP Prov’l Director Batuan disclosed that the victim allegedly received death threats. “Personal conflict” could be the reason behind the murder, police said.

According to Corporal Ryan Anuta of the Inabanga Police Station, Noel Duavis, 54, of Barangay Cangawa,
Buenavista was driving a Toyota Wigo when the assailants positioned their motorcycle alongside and shot him
repeatedly in Barangay Lapacan Sur at past 1 p.m.

“Nakita sa mga taw didto na nitapad ang motor so posibli na gisundan,” said Anuta.

Duavis was the father of Mark Johnuel Duavis who made headlines last year for ranking tenth in the 2022
Physician Licensure Examination (PLE).

Based on the initial police investigation, Noel was driving the car given to Mark by his school as reward for
topping the exam.

Witnesses immediately alerted the police of the incident but the gunmen had already fled when the operatives arrived.

The responding police rushed the victim to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Anuta said investigators were still continuing a probe to identify the suspects and determine the motive behind
the killing.

FORMER NPA

KILLED

A 60-year-old man was found dead with bullet wounds to his head and parts of his body in San Miguel town.

The fatality was identified as Manuel Penio, 60, a resident of Barangay Los Angeles, Ubay.

Captain Ponciano Entroliso, chief of the San Miguel Police Station said a villager found Penio’s body in
Barangay Bayongan, San Miguel particularly at the boundary of Barangay Los Angeles, Ubay at past 7 p.m. on Friday.

Penio was earlier reported by the police as a former member of the New People’s Army (NPA).

According to Entroliso, Penio sustained gunshot wounds in the head, chest and arm.

Meanwhile, crime scene investigators found spent shells fired from a .45 caliber pistol in the area.
Authorities also found in the possession of the victim a loaded .45 caliber handgun.

Entroliso said they submitted the gun to the Firearms and Explosives Office in Camp Dagohoy to identify its
owner.

The police chief added that they continued to conduct their investigation to identify Penio’s assailant and the
motive behind the killing.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is having their hands full in investigating the recent killings in the province, according to Provincial Director Lorenzo Batuan.

The top police official said there is no pattern showing that these incidents are perpetrated by one group as he
declares there are no syndicated operations behind the recent killings. In fact, he said those killed are not in any way
linked with one another.

He cited the recent killing in Ubay as a security escort who wanted to protect the victims from being robbed
while the San Miguel murder case involved a former member of the New People’s Army (NPA).