Two men sued for ambush

CEBU, Philippines - A frustrated murder charge was filed yesterday against two men accused of shooting  a woman in Capitan Claudio, Toledo City, allegedly out of revenge over the ambush of their barangay captain and friend last March 3.

Chief Insp. Michael Bastes, Toledo City Police Station chief, said Boboy Juarez and Alden Mahusay maintained no one instructed them to commit the crime.

“Nalooy lang kuno ang gunman sa kapitan kay suod sila nga higala,” Bastes said.

He was referring to Barangay Captain Alexander Alqueza, 68, who was ambushed by three unidentified men while driving a multicab in Barangay Carmen, Toledo City exactly a week ago yesterday.

Alqueza suffered gunshot wounds to the back, left ear, and chest but survived. His passenger, live-in partner and Capitan Claudio councilwoman Irene Wamilda, however, was killed.

Sunday afternoon, Lilia Pellerin was seated outside her house when allegedly shot several times by Juarez and Mahusay.

The two men, both from Barangay Sangi, Toledo City, were arrested by responding Toledo City policemen during a hot pursuit operation.

Lilia’s son, 37-year-old Marlon Pellerin, 37, saw the attack and identified Juarez, 50, and Mahusay, 56, as the gunmen.

Pellerin, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds but is now in stable condition, is the mother Marlene Gonzales, former Capitan Claudio barangay treasurer.

Gonzales is currently facing a malversation of  public funds funds case before the Office of the Ombudsman after Alqueza sued her.

Bastes said Juarez and Mahusay were collared following a hot pursuit operation and confiscated from them they shirt they wore at the time of  the attack, a raincoat, a motorcycle and a handgun.

Juarez, a close friend of Alqueza, underwent a paraffin test yesterday at the PNP Crime Laboratory-7 to determine if he fired a gun recently.

Bastes said that aside from frustrated murder, Mahusay, who reportedly drove the motorcycle, would also be facing another complaint for illegal possession of firearms.

At the Capitol, Provincial Board (PB) Member Grecilda Sanchez urged the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) to fast-track its investigation of the ambush of Alqueza  and  Wamilda.

In a resolution the PB approved yesterday, Sanchez asked CPPO Director Noel Angeles Gillamac to speed up the investigation into the wounding of  Alqueza and death of Wamilda.

The two were on their way home onboard a mint green multicab when unidentified men wearing helmets fired at them.

Sanchez described the incident as one of the “deplorable” killings that happened in the province, with lawyer Noel Archival shot dead in Dalaguete town last month and moneylender Cecille Villafuerte was gunned down while driving home on her motorcycle in Argao town last Febr. 28.

While Gillamac is not considering the incidents alarming, Sanchez stressed that criminalities in the province which would affect the safety of their constituents.

“A pressing need to stop this lawlessness is strongly warranted for the safe and secure well-being of the people in the Province of Cebu,” the resolution read.   (FREEMAN)