Rubout suspected in Laoac shooting
LAOAC–The family of a father and son who died in a reported shootout with the police in Barangay Lebueg here last June 19 is crying for justice for their dead kin.
Amid sobs and tears, Eloisa Eleazar, 61, widow of slain Rodrigo Eleazar, 62, and mother of the other victim, Gener, 36, said in Ilocano that “it is not enough” that the policemen, including the town’s chief of police, who were involved in the shootout have been relieved from their posts.
Eloisa appealed to Fifth District Representative Carmen ‘Kimi’ Cojuangco and her husband, former Rep. Mark Cojuangco for help in ensuring an impartial investigation.
Rep. Cojuangco said she had already spoken to Chief Superintendent Franklin Bucayu, police regional director, and Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno to ensure a fair and impartial investigation of the case.
Cojuangco said she, too, suspects a rubout given the known circumstances about the incident.
“It is clear as day that there was excessive force used by the police on the two victims… one of them (Rodrigo) was already old and limping with a metal casting embedded in his left leg after a 2005 motor vehicle accident.”
Rep. Cojuangco said it appears that the father and son were both shot in the back.
She also expressed surprised that the police report on the incident was written by Senior Inspector Lodovico Ellazar, the town’s chief of police, who is under investigation.
Ellazar was relieved promptly after the incident.
Three other police officers who joined Ellazar in responding to the alleged shooting incident at the Eleazar residence were also relieved.
The shootout between the police and the Eleazars took place while the father and son were being arrested in relation to the reported shooting.
“Why were the father and son shot and killed when they could have been only arrested as the two were already surrounded by four policemen and two barangay officials who were all armed?” Rep. Cojuangco asked.
A Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) headed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has been created by Bucayu to look into the case and a team of Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) was sent to Laoac to gather evidence relative to the incident.
“Let’s allow the investigators to do their job. I have faith in them,” Cojuangco said.
FAMILY FEUD
Former Rep. Cojuangco, for his part, pointed out that the incident could have stemmed from a long family feud that was aggravated by political rivalry.
The elder victim, Rodrigo, is an uncle of the police chief, Ellazar.
Despite the difference in their family names’ spelling, Rodrigo is actually a brother of Ellazar’s father, Lodovico Sr.
Rodrigo, who was also a former municipal councilor, was a long-serving barangay chairman of Lebueg. After his last term, Edgar succeeded to the position and defeated Rodrigo who attempted a comeback in the last election.
Others involved and wounded in the shootout were Barangay Kagawad Rogelio Eleazar Lopez his brother, SPO3 Erwin Lopez, who was one of the responding policemen, and Barangay Chairman Edgar Ellazar.
Eloisa, although admitting that she actually saw the shooting, points to Ellazar as the one who shot her husband.
“Ni Apo hepe sir, iggem na ti atiddog nga paltog (It was the chief of police, he was holding a long firearm),” she said.
Recovered from the scene of the crime were one caliber .45 Glock pistol with two magazines and live ammunition, spent shells for Glock .45 pistol, and cartridges for M16 and M14 rifles.
All these were turned over to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 1 for ballistics examination.
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