Gunman in ghost project witness’ killing charged

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar—Murder charges have been filed against the lone gunman in the Sept. 29 killing of a former village chief who exposed a ghost project in Samar.

The complaint against Reymund Banar, 21, was filed at the Calbayog prosecutor’s office based on accounts of witnesses who identified him as the one who shot Felomino Cabarriban while the victim was watching a cockfight in Barangay (village) Lagundi here.

Chief Supt. Elmer Soria, Eastern Visayas police chief, said investigators have yet to establish the motive in the killing because Banar refuses to talk.

But he said Banar, a native of Barangay San Andres in Catbalogan, stayed in Barangay Lagundi for two months prior to the killing.

Banar was arrested at his hideout in Barangay Lagundi, just 2 kilometers from the crime scene, about 7 p.m. on Sept. 29, eight hours after the killing of Cabarriban.

The arrest followed witnesses’ accounts identifying Banar as one of two men who approached Cabarriban from behind. Banar was the one who pulled out a gun and shot Cabarriban in the back. The bullet went through Cabarriban’s chest, killing him on the spot.

Aside from Banar and his companion,  Soria said there were two others in the cockpit who served as lookouts.

Banar underwent paraffin test but results have yet to be released.

The investigators also generated computerized sketches of Banar’s three companions based on  descriptions given by witnesses.

Soria declined to give further details about Banar, saying he did not want to prejudice the ongoing investigation by police.

Cabarriban, former village chief of Lagundi, was a supporter of former Catbalogan mayor and now Councilor Coefredo Uy, a rival of the family of Rep. Milagros Tan of the province’s second district.

Milagros’ children occupy the two highest positions in the provincial government. Sharee Ann is governor while brother Stephen James is vice governor.

A week before he was killed, Cabarriban told Inquirer that the P11.39-million road project funded by the pork barrel of Milagros did not exist.