by Miriam G. Desacada
TACLOBAN CITY–Shooting persons dead in the 3rd district of Leyte were crimes that remained unresolved for long to this date, but on Thursday (March 14) afternoon, these violent incidents expanded into the 2nd district, specifically in Alang-alang, Leyte where a shooting attack took place, wounding one of the two persons on board a Toyota pickup car from San Isidro, Leyte (3nd district).
Information had it that the Toyota pickup used by the two victims belongs to San Isidro town Mayor Remedio “Bebot” Balmoria Veloso, hinting that the gunmen might have wrongly thought that the mayor, who could be their actual target, was on board.
The victims, both 44-year-old drivers, came from San Isidro town in the 3rd district, about 92 kilometers away, from the western coast to the east.
They were identified as Ranel Batiquin Reubal of Barangay Linao of that town, who was wounded in the attack, and Carlo Emman Pauligue, who escaped unharmed, a resident of Brgy. Daja Dako where three barangay officials and a civilian were killed inside the barangay hall weeks ago.
Reubal and Pauligue were riding the mayor’s Toyota Pickup heading to Alang-alang and, upon reaching Brgy. Dapdap of that town, gunmen on board a Nissan Navarra pickup came abreast their vehicle and opened fire at them.
Reubal was hit on his lower back, Pauligue left unharmed, and their vehicle was littered with bullets. The wouned victim was taken to the town’s Rural Health Center, while the perpetrators quickly fled towards the direction of the next town of Sta. Fe.
Personnel of the PNP Regional Forensic Unit-8 processed the crime scene, while P/Major Joshuan Bien Chiquillo, chief of the Alang-alang Municipal Police Station, led the conduct of the investigation that would determine the whereabouts and identification of the perpetrators, while coordinating with other police stations of nearby towns for dragnet operations.
In his official statement Veloso has asked the provincial police to explore ‘ambush-me’ scenario.
Former CA Justice Ching Veloso is requesting the Leyte Provincial Police Office to explore all angles in the supposed ambush in Alang-alang town yesterday afternoon, where the driver of San Isidro Mayor Remedios Veloso escaped nearly unscathed and a companion with no injuries.
Veloso cited his detractors’ aim, and track record, of painting a bad image of him as being behind the violence in Leyte’s third district, where San Isidro town is part of. The former congressman also pointed out that the supposed “victim” in the Alang-alang ambush is the same driver who figured in an “ambush” in 2019 where he was also not injured, and where the circumstances of the incident were highly suspicious.
Veloso had announced his plan to run for congressman in the fourth district, and his rival camp had since tried to pin on him the spate of violence in the third district.
“One, if it’s true we are behind the violence, why would my daughter, the incumbent congresswoman, write a letter asking the police to investigate and solve these killings once and for all? Second, there are 57 recorded violent incidents in the last two years, the bulk of which were in San Isidro. I was congressman before these dates and yet, there were no incidents of killings,” according to the former justice.
Veloso believes that this recent ambush may be “staged” or “faked” by the same group that were involved in a similar incident in 2019.
Reinforcing his doubts on its veracity, he said, is a Facebook post by the account of San Isidro Mayor Remedios Veloso, who seemed proud of the incident instead of expressing concern for his driver:
“Mao ning gi ambush!! Dili parehas sa nahitabo sa Batang Capiñahan!!” read the post of Rem Vel, ended by two shushing emojis.
In Veloso’s request for the police for a thorough investigation on this recent case, he said he only wants to prevent the public from falling into what could be another planned propaganda against him, saying, ‘Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.” Miriam G.Desacda