Gunmen in Aparri VM ambush posed as ‘cops’
THE gunmen who killed Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda, and his five companions in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday were believed to have posed as “policemen” by setting up a checkpoint while wearing “camouflage uniforms” similar to those being used by the police force, officials said yesterday.
PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said they are looking into the very big possibility that the assassins made it appear they are “policemen or military troops” by wearing camouflage uniforms.
“Linawin lang natin na walang PNP members ang involved dito. Ang tinitingnan natin ay maaaring itong mga suspects ay nagsuot lang ng mga uniform to make it appear na sila ay mga lehitimong government forces noong sila ay maglagay ng unauthorized checkpoint doon sa lugar ng ambush,” Fajardo said.
PNP Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has ordered a massive hunt for the killers who gunned down Alameda and his companions while on board a black Hyundai Starex along the highway in Sitio Kinacao, Barangay Baretbet in Bagabag municipality.
At least six suspects wearing pixelized uniforms and their faces covered with masks fled on board a white Mitsubishi Adventure with a “red” or government-vehicle plate.
“I directed Police Regional Office (PRO) 2 to intensify the conduct of manhunt operations for the immediate arrest of the suspects. With the activation of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), I am confident that after a thorough investigation, the PRO 2 will be able to identify the suspects and unearth the motive behind this barbaric act, and at the soonest time, they will be arrested and brought before the bar of justice,” Azurin said.
The top cop said he had ordered PRO2 Director Brigadier Gen. Percival A. Rumbaoa to supervise the conduct of hot pursuit operations against the killers.
He also ordered Rumbaoa to utilize all available PRO 2 resources in the investigation and the hunt for the gunmen.
The assassins reportedly blocked a section of the street in front of the MV Duque Elementary School in Bgy. Baretbet to waylaid the victims.
Fajardo said that the plate number was found to be registered to an Isuzu truck owned by the Nueva Vizcaya State University, which has long been “junked” after being tagged as beyond economical repair.
She said that the suspects could have stolen the same license plate and attached it to their getaway vehicle to mislead investigators. BY ALFRED DALIZON & ZAIDA DELOS REYES
