Abra police still clueless on slays of 2 town executives

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Police admitted still being clueless on the killings of a councilor and a planning and development officer of two Abra towns this week.

Though vowing to dig deeper into the slay, the Abra police begged off from giving any updates on the killing of Geronimo Torres, 44, planning and development officer of Bucay town, who was attacked last Friday morning.

Senior Superintendent Amando Laguiwid, Abra police director, said Torres was having a conversation with farmer Cirilo Balneg, 51, and a certain Junior Jimenez in front of the municipal official’s house in Barangay Bangcagan, Bucay town when two motorcycle-riding men arrived and pretended to inquire about something.

Moments later, the back rider pulled out a gun and shot Torres and Balneg. Jimenez was spared.

Torres was shot in the left abdomen and right chest, and Balneg in the left thigh. Torres died while being rushed to the hospital.

Twelve cartridge cases and three slugs for caliber .45 were recovered at the crime scene.

Last Thursday, meanwhile, councilor Arnulfo Agudal Callosi, 49, of San Isidro town, was shot dead as he was about to park his motorcycle by the roadside.

Laguiwid said Callosi sustained gunshot wounds in the head and nape.