5 killed in shooting incident in Samar

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar—At least five persons including two minors died in a shooting incident around 10 a.m. on Tuesday in this city.

The police said they received a call from PO1 Marciano Locada Cabral II on Sept. 15 around 11 a.m. informing them of the incident which transpired in Barangay (village) Victory.

According to initial police investigation, one of the victims identified as farmer Sonny Regulacion, 38, was resting on a hammock in the terrace of the house owned by Teban Regulacion when a group of men clad in fatigue uniforms and bonnets surrounded and fired at the house using high-powered firearms.

The other victims were identified as Adela Regulacion, 48, Cristina Regulacion, Angel Mae Regulacion, 2, and Christine Joy Regulacion, 5, all residents of Barangay Victory. The victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds on different parts of the body.

Surviving the ambush were village official Marlene Regulacion, 40, who sustained three gunshot wounds on her right leg, and Wendy Regulacion, 7, who sustained two gunshot wounds on the right portion of her neck and right shoulder.

In an interview, Calbayog City Police officer in charge Police Supt. Ernesto Salvador Tejada Tagle said a pursuit operation was ongoing, adding that a team of Philippine National Police personnel was at the site to conduct further investigation.

While the police had not yet determined the motive behind the incident, Tagle said vengeance, not politics, could be one of the reasons. He cited another gun-firing incident on July 15 in the same village where one of the involved, Marlon Regulacion, was identified as the son of Sonny.

Tagle asked the support of the public on their efforts to maintain the peace and order in the city.

Meanwhile, Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino has condemned the incidents as “un-Christian and inhuman.”

Although one of the victims was a supporter of his, Aquino said he could not claim that politics was behind the incident.

Aquino said he believed that an organized group was behind the incident and he had coordinated with police and military officials in the region to conduct an operation in the Happy Valley district of the city.

The mayor appealed to Calbayognons to report unlawful acts to authorities.

“I would like to appeal to Calbayognons to please report to the authorities any suspected unlawful acts that is happening in your barangay,” he said.

“As your local chief executive all that I am doing with the PNP and military for the peace and order of the city will not be possible without your support. Let us all be vigilant and be alert and help our city attain peace by supporting the city government and law enforcers,” Aquino added. Jennifer Sumagang-Allegado/RC