Sta. Maria dad remains at large after shooting retired marine
STA MARIA—An incumbent municipal councilor of this town, Gilberto Cantoria, has yet to be arrested by authorities after shooting a 66-year old retired colonel of the Philippine Marines last November 3 over a suspected old grudge.
The victim, Arnold Blanco, was shot by Cantoria at about 5:15 in the afternoon at the victim’s home in barangay San Alejandro.
Blanco sustained a gunshot wound on his face and was rushed by San Alejandro Barangay Chairman Robert Ginez to the Family Hospital in neighboring town Tayug and later transferred to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Urdaneta City for further treatment.
Initial police investigation indicate that prior to the shooting incident, Cantoria, while on board his vehicle, missed on his attempt to shoot Blanco.
Thereafter, Blanco went home, which is located about 20 meters away from the house of Cantoria.
Upon seeing Cantoria in his house, Blanco reportedly shouted curses at Cantoria, who then fired three shots from his terrace with a still unspecified gun.
Blanco is now in a stable condition.
Meanwhile, the police filed Tuesday a frustrated murder case against Cantoria at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Rosales.
The incident was the latest shooting incident involving elected government officials. Police records show that of the 218 incidents recorded from January 1 to Nov. 3 this year, 13 involved elected public officials, 32 occurred during the barangay election gun ban from September 28 to November 3, and five of these involved elected officials..–Johanne R. Macob
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