3 dead in militiaman rampage

TACLOBAN CITY—An Army soldier and two members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) were killed, while another Cafgu member was wounded, when one of the two slain Cafgu members ran amuck inside their detachment in a Leyte town on Monday.

Insp. Federico Sanchez, police chief of Burauen, Leyte, identified the fatalities as Sgt. Renato Cabarse, acting chief of the Cafgu unit in Barangay (village) Anonang, and Cafgu members Alexander Estrella and Cesar Manidlagan, who was the assailant.

Estrella died on the spot while Cabarse died while he was undergoing treatment at Burauen District Hospital.

On the other hand, Manidlagan was shot and killed by another Cafgu member, Genes Cabidog.

Another Cafgu member, Abner Tolibas, was wounded and was taken to a hospital in Tacloban, where he is now in stable condition.

The victims and the assailant belonged to the 78th Infantry Battalion based in Barangay Abuyogon, Burauen.

Sanchez, quoting results of initial investigation, said Manidlagan came from a birthday celebration of a relative and was apparently intoxicated when he entered the detachment, 10.6 kilometers from the Burauen town center.

Manidlagan proceeded to his barracks, took his service firearm, a Garand rifle, and started shooting.

He shot Carbarse and Tolibas first. Cabidog saw the rampage and shot Manidlagan.

The shooting lasted less than three minutes, Sanchez said in a phone interview on Tuesday. He said police are investigating the motive for the attack.

Capt. Dranreb Canto, spokesperson of the 802nd Infantry Brigade based in Ormoc City, declined to comment on details of the case, saying the Army is conducting a separate investigation. “But this is an unfortunate incident,” Canto said.