Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy of Cagayan de Oro (left) and Col. Salvador Radam, city police director, in this file photo taken last year. (Photo courtesy of the Cagayan de Oro City Information Office)
MindanaoToday.com | Klarex orders arrest of shooting suspects
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Hours after two broad-day shooting incidents on Wednesday, February 28, here that killed a ginger supplier and hurt a lived-in couple who were riding in-tandem, Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy directed the city police chief to personally lead hot-pursuit operations against the perpetrators.
Uy’s marching orders came immediately after Colonel Salvador Radam, director of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) briefed the city chief executive late Wednesday afternoon on initial details from scene-of-the-crime operatives at Bulua and Iponan villages.
“Pangitaan gyud og pama-agi sa kapulisan nga madakpan ang mga suspetsado (The police must find ways to arrest the suspects),” the city mayor was quoted as saying in a statement from the City Mayor’s Office on Thursday, February 29. The city was shocked by these incidents, he said.
He appealed to the family members of Leonard Calunod Lake, 38, the ginger supplier from Barangay Kiburiao, Quezon town, Bukidnon, who was gunned down about 1:40 pm at Zone 2, Barangay Bulua to provide information that could help the police in hunting down the assailant.
Major Jerson Estanilla, Police Station 7 commander, said the fatal shooting stemmed from misunderstanding between the ginger seller and the supposed buyer. He said they are keeping the suspect’s identity, pending case build-up.
Estanilla said a 31-year-old male resident of Barangay Poblacion, Quezon, Bukidnon was with Lake during the shooting and had provided details of the incident.
As posted by Cocpo online on Thursday, February 29, Master Seargeant Jonnil Almonical of the Regional Forensic Unit found that the victim’s body sustained three gunshot wounds; in the left-side back portion of the head, left-side lower back portion of the body, and in the abdomen. But no cartridge or fired bullet was recovered from the crime scene.
The other shooting incident about 1:30 pm on Wednesday, February 28, was at Zone 1B, Barangay Iponan allegedly involving a lending firm collector and a hold-upper.
Police identified the victims as Arnel Intes and Shenne Baclayo, both 28 years old, of Barangay Igpit, Opol town, Misamis Oriental. The hold-upper wanted the motorbike the victims were riding on, but the couple refused, hence they were shot. Fortunately, the two survived.
The suspect is still unidentified as of this writing. (MT)
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