2 La Union ‘private army’ members slain

Two members of an armed partisan group were killed in an hour-long firefight with arresting police officers in La Union yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Arturo Lomibao, Cordillera police director, identified one of the fatalities as Gamonio Orine, 45, a resident of Barangay Butubut Este, Balaoan, La Union. The other fatality remained unidentified.

Police, however, did not identify the politicians behind the "private army."

Lomibao informed Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza they shot it out with lawmen from the provincial and Balaoan police.

Concerned residents sought police assistance after the armed men, carrying M-16 rifles and short firearms, paraded in the barangay as if they owned the place.

"There were reports that the group harassed and intimidated the residents," Lomibao said.

Responding policemen accosted the armed suspects but they refused to go with the lawmen who initially invited them for investigation. — Christina Mendez/Myds Supnad