Murder plaint filed over death of Deca Homes blue guard

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City police yesterday filed a criminal complaint for murder against two security guards on the shooting to death of another guard at Deca Homes Subdivision in Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City the other night.

Inspector Rodgene Fudotan told The FREEMAN that based on initial investigation, grudge could be the motive for the attack on Warlito Astacan of Golden Sun Security Agency.

Astacan, who was assigned at the front gate, recently disarmed two drunk men who include a fellow EFM Security Agency guard of suspects Reynante Flores and Jason Bisangcay.

Flores, 23, and Bisangcay, 20, both of Candulawan, Talisay, had said Astacan was drunk Sunday dawn when he went to Phase 2 of the subdivision where they were assigned. Astacan was allegedly armed with an iron bar and tried to hit the suspects.

Flores had said this forced him to fire a warning shot using his .38 service revolver and warned Astacan to behave because he was already drunk.

Astacan allegedly did not take heed and instead he and four othrs tried to assault Flores, who got a 12-gauge shotgun from Bisangcay and shot Astacan in the abdomen, instantly killing him.

Fudotan, though, said it is very unlikely that a security guard would go to a dark place bringing only a steel rod with him.

He said Astacan’s cellphone contains a message sent to his wife telling her about the presence of unidentified men lurking in the dark and watching him.

Fudotan said that the victim also asked for help from another person because he was being surrounded, and that Astacan had a phone conversation with a certain person a number of times prior to his death.

 â€œNaay tawo nga gikatawganay.  Gihulog gyud na siya sa laang (He was calling and talking to a person over the phone. He was led to a trap,” the police officer said.

Fudotana said they are trying to establish the identity of two other persons who were in the area when Astacan was killed so they, too, would be charged over his death.

Meanwhile, the Firearms, Explosives, Security Service Agency and Guards Supervisory Section (Fessags) of Police Regional Office-7 is checking if the security guards involved in Astacan’s death are licensed and if their guns are covered with the required permits.

Supt. Marvin Sanchez, Fessags chief, said they are waiting for the separate reports of Golden Sun Security Agency and of EFM Security Agency and the investigation report of the Talisay City Police Station.

Sanchez said criminal complaints would be filed if it is learned that the security guards and their guns are not covered with the necessary documents.           

“They will be charged criminally if proven nga way (that they do not have) license(s),” Sanchez said.

Responding policemen recovered from the crime scene a .38 revolver with four bullets and an empty shell in its chamber, and a shotgun with two bullets and one empty shell. (FREEMAN)