Bodyguard of Camarines Norte gov wounded in gun attack

NAGA CITY—Gunmen attacked a convoy of vehicles carrying top officials of Camarines Norte, seriously wounding a bodyguard of Gov. Edgardo Tallado on Friday.

Tallado, however, said yesterday that he was the target of the attack.

The governor said one of his bodyguards, retired policeman Ronnie Bardon, is now in critical condition after two gunmen opened fire at a van he was riding past 6 p.m. in Daet, the capital of Camarines Norte.

Bardon, according to the governor, was able to fire back and kill one of the suspects.

In a phone interview, Tallado said the two suspects have been trailing convoy of vehicles of the provincial government that was on its way to Paracale for a project.

Tallado said he was at his office at the provincial capitol when the attack took place. He said he believed that the suspects had assumed that he was in the same van  as Bardon’s.

The attack took place about 100 meters from the Camarines Norte police office, according to Tallado.

Senior Supt. Roberto Fajardo, officer in charge of the Camarines Norte police, said the suspects were on board a motorcycle.

Bardon was hit in the head and shoulder, according to Fajardo.

Bardon managed to return fire that killed one of the suspects but the other suspect who was driving the motorcycle managed to escape, Fajardo added.

Bardon is in critical condition at Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital as of 4 p.m. yesterday, he said.

The slain suspect remained unidentified, Fajardo said. Tallado said suspicious looking men had been tailing him before the attack.

He attributed what he believed was the attempt on his life to his campaign against illegal drugs. He said the motive could be politics, too.

Police set up checkpoints all over Camarines Norte as they investigate the attack. The other suspect is being hunted, according to Tallado. Police have tightened security for the governor.