Manhunt on for 3 watchmen tagged in Quezon City shooting spree

MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has launched a manhunt against three village watchmen who allegedly shot and killed a man and injured three others in a shooting spree over the weekend.

Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, identified the village watchmen as Rashid Ibrahim, Rakim Somiranao and Leonito Balganion, all of Barangay North Fairview.

Mabanag said along with two still unidentified men, the three village watchmen have reportedly gone into hiding.

The five suspects allegedly killed Eutiquio Acibes III, 24, and injured Ronaldo Basea, 27; George Gonzales, 54; and Cuya Arimpa, 64.

Police Officer 3 Joselito Gagaza said the incident happened at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday at a vacant lot in Barangay North Fairview.

Prior to the incident, a brawl reportedly occurred in front of the Namapa Compound wherein a passenger jeepney was stoned by still unidentified persons.

Village councilor Laura Reyes, a neighbor of Acibes and Basea, called on the village watchmen to fetch the two men “to shed light” on the stoning the night before.

However, instead of bringing them to the village hall, the suspects allegedly took them to a vacant lot where they were ordered to get off the patrol tricycle. The village watchmen then allegedly shot the two victims one after the other.

Acibes was reportedly killed on the spot due to gunshot wounds he sustained in the back and right eye, while Basea was shot in the neck.

Gagaza said both Gonzales and Arimpa just happened to be in the area when the incident happened and were hit by stray bullets in the back.

Basea managed to run away and was brought by operatives of the QCPD-Station 5 to the FEU Hospital. Gonzales and Arimpa were rushed to the East Avenue Medical Center.

According to Gagaza, the village watchmen fled the scene on their patrol tricycle. But Gagaza said they were able to trace their names through the dispatch entry in the logbook at the village hall.

Gagaza said they are still trying to find the suspects and lamented that village chairman Nestor Reyes seemed to be “uncooperative” because he was always absent at the village hall each time the police wanted to talk to him.