Mangudadatu aide kills 2 SBMA cops

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga , Philippines  – A former policeman identified by authorities here as a bodyguard of Buluan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu ran amuck and killed two law enforcement personnel inside the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Monday.

Ali Mohamedin Panegas, 39, a resident of Buluan, shot dead Seferino Abadia, 60, and retired SPO4 Delfin Orines inside the SBMA Law Enforcement Department (LED) office while being held for questioning.

“Today is a sad day for SBMA. We mourn the loss of a dedicated law enforcer in the person of Officer Abadia and a friend of SBMA LED, retired officer Orines,” SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said in a press briefing.

The suspect was earlier reported missing to the SBMA law enforcement office by his companions PO3 Nasser Dilangalen and Faustino Bernil.

Both were also detailed as security personnel of Mangudadatu.

Mangudadatu has been under heavy guard since the massacre of 57 people, which included his wife, relatives and 30 journalists in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao, on Nov. 23, 2009.

A few hours after all units were alerted, the SBMA police located Panegas inside the administration office of Sapphire Instruments, a manufacturing firm at the Subic Bay Gateway Park.

Sapphire administrative staff Christian Montoya said Panegas went to their office seeking assistance, apparently “fearing for his life.”

A SBMA Special Action Unit was dispatched to the facility where Panegas voluntarily gave up and surrendered a .45-caliber pistol.

Inside the LED office, Panegas had asked SBMA LED manager retired P/Gen. Orlando Maddela Jr. that he be transferred to the custody of the PNP Special Action Force as he was a former member of the unit.

Maddela made the arrangement for his transfer since the suspect had not yet committed any crime or violent acts for the SBMA police to keep him on hold.

At this point, Panegas began acting strangely and went to the adjacent table where his waist bag containing his identification card, Amscor caliber .45 pistol and magazine of ammunition was.

Security officers Edwin Nopal and Rexie Alinea tried to prevent him from getting his bag but the suspect argued that he would just get his ID and present it to SAF officials.

The suspect, however, pulled out the gun and aimed it at the police officers.

Nopal tried but failed to grab the gun and wrestled with the much bigger Panegas, who started firing indiscriminately and fatally hit Abadia and Orines.

The officers then subdued Panegas who is now detained at the Olongapo City police station.

The STAR tried to interview the suspect inside detention cell but he insisted that he would only issue a statement in the presence of his lawyer.

Charges of double murder have been filed before the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office.

Gordon wants probe

At the Senate, Sen. Richard Gordon said the Blue Ribbon committee will hold an investigation into the fatal shooting.

“In fairness, Subic has been peaceful. What I don’t understand is why a fellow like Mangudadatu would bring his bodyguards to Subic with firearms and how they got inside the law enforcement division headquarters,” said Gordon.

He said that based on information relayed by sources at the SBMA, Mangudadatu, who was then vacationing at the Freeport, left Panegas behind.

“I don’t buy that. How can you leave your bodyguard especially after all these things have happened,” he said.

Gordon said the shooting happened after Panegas was frisked by SBMA security men for firearms.

“Because it is my home turf and for us to know what happened, I will call a Blue Ribbon committee hearing on this one. Apparently the Mangudadatus are also very powerful in their area. But I am not saying that there is a political angle here,” he said

Disowned

Buluan Mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu and his brother Esmael disowned the former law enforcer involved in the SBMA shooting.

“I don’t even know his real or complete name although he was from my town in Buluan before he became a policeman assigned at Camp Crame. He was not my escort or my bodyguard,” Ibrahim said.

The mayor, however, confirmed that the suspect was really looking for him and his brother.

“I am here in Buluan and Toto (Esmael’s nickname) is in Manila for the hearing of the Maguindanao massacre case. According to the information that reached me, he was looking for us at the SBMA to seek our help for his reinstatement in the PNP”, the mayor said.

Toto Mangudadatu, on the other hand, told The STAR that he had no personal attachment with the suspect.

“He is not our escort or bodyguard. I was told that he was looking for us to ask for help so that he could be reinstated in the service, which is not wrong if he has no case. I have no idea what happened,” he said. - Bebot Sison, Mike Frialde, Rose Tamayo-Tesoro