P’sinan judge shot by defeated poll bet

DAGUPAN CITY — A retired judge who ran for provincial board member in the May 10 polls but lost, shot and wounded a Municipal Trial Court (MTC) judge here yesterday morning.

Superintendent Noli Taliño, city police chief, said retired Judge Salvador Vedaña did not resist arrest when policemen flagged him down while he was headed toward Calasiao town after the shooting. He was driving a dark brown Toyota Revo.

The victim, MTC Branch 3 Judge Florante Gabat, 48, sustained two gunshot wounds in the left hand and back from a caliber .45 pistol. He was rushed to the Luzon Medical Center here.

Investigation showed that Gabat and Vedaña figured in a verbal tussle after the latter overtook the former’s car in Tapuac district here.

With Gabat in his car was Vedaña’s sister Milagros Vedaña-Cuison.

Police said Vedaña opened his car window, argued with Gabat and then allegedly fired shots at him. Cuison then transferred to her brother’s car.

Police found three caliber .45 shells at the scene. The gun was seized from Vedaña.

Taliño said a family problem or misunderstanding could have led to the shooting.

Meanwhile, a fruit and vegetable dealer was gunned down in Villasis town last Friday night.

Police said Samuel Velasco, 32, had just alighted from a tricycle in front of his house in Barangay Lipay when two men on board a motorcycle shot him.

Police found five spent shells and a slug from a caliber .45 pistol.

Investigators were still clueless on the motive for Velasco’s killing. — with Cesar Ramirez