Fear gripped residents of Sta. Mesa, Manila Sunday night when at least seven armed men attacked a barangay chairman and two of his watchmen before residents came to the victims’ rescue.
The attackers fired their guns into the air, threatened residents with harm before escaping in a car and on a motorcycle. Responding policemen failed to nab the suspects.
Sta. Mesa police station chief Superintendent Jimmy Tiu identified those injured as Barangay 14, Zone 42 chairman Alfredo Elaris and his tanods Michael Versoza and Albert Berdin.
Elaris sustained a deep cut on the head, while the watchmen suffered multiple contusions on their bodies.
An investigation conducted by Police Officer 2 Verginia Monton showed the two watchmen responded to reports that two men were beating up another man at a footbridge in front of the Sta. Catalina College along Legarda street past 8 p.m. The three men, however, fled when the watchmen arrived.
About 15 minutes later, a white Honda Civic (ZJT-981) and a red Yamaha motorcycle (OT-4546) carrying seven men armed with guns and truncheons arrived and started hitting the two watchmen. When Elaris tried to intervene, the suspects reportedly hit him with the truncheons.
Before leaving, the suspects also fired successive shots into the air while cursing and threatening the residents.
The police recovered several empty shells from .45 and .9 mm caliber handguns. Residents said they would be compelled to arm themselves in case the suspects return.
Tiu said he will trace the ownership of the vehicles used by the suspects through the Land Transportation Office.