TAYUG—This town is under close watch by the police after the bodyguards of the two highest officials of Tayug clashed on January 18 in broad daylight at the town plaza.

       Wounded in that incident were Bimbo Clutario and Ruben Sotero Jr., bodyguards of Mayor Carlos Trese Mapili who were allegedly fired upon by Joven Bautista and Lacay Alcaneses, bodyguards of Vice Mayor Janet Zaragoza.

The victims bumped into the suspects at 3:15 p.m. inside a perya (carnival) at the town plaza when the shooting started.

Clutario was wounded in different parts of his body and Sotero was shot in the face. Both were rushed to the Family Clinic in Tayug before being transferred to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Urdaneta.

A report as of January 25 said both are still in serious condition.

Bautista and Alcaneses escaped after the incident, carrying with them the firearms they used in the shooting, a Caliber 45 and a 9 mm. pistol.

Tension escalated some more few minutes later when the van of Alas Pastor, chief of the mayor’s bodyguard, was shot several times after coming from Zaragoza Street where Pastor, armed with a hand gun, tried to confront the Zaragozas to avenge the shooting of his fellow bodyguards.

No one responded to his challenge but as the van was making a turn and leaving, it was rained by a hail of automatic fires.

Pastor and his driver escaped unhurt but the van was peppered with bullets coming from high-caliber firearms.

Pastor went straight to the police to lodge a complaint for attempted murder against three persons, namely Allan Zaragoza, barangay captain of Barangay D, his brother Leonil and Wendel Pajela, a barangay councilman.

Allan is former vice mayor of Tayug and Leonil served as town councilor. Both are cousins of Vice Mayor Zaragoza.

The three went into hiding before their warrants of arrest could be issued.—LM

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments