DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines — Police are now tracking down a man who allegedly attacked a policeman in the far-flung village of Owacan in Jimalalud town, Negros Oriental shortly after noon yesterday. It was the first election-related violent incident in Negros Oriental for the barangay polls, police said.
Superintendent Alet Virtucio, provincial police director, in an initial report, said that a certain Ryan Gantalao Sarabia attacked PO1 Virgilio Berang-berang around 12:05 p.m. yesterday at a polling center in Owacan.
According to reports reaching Virtucio, the suspect and another unidentified person, both supporters of opposing bets, were engaged in a squabble when Berang-berang came to pacify them.
Sarabia, however, attacked the policeman instead with a knife, prompting Berang-berang to fire at the suspect, but failed to hit the latter. Sarabia fled the scene immediately with the help of his kin, and is now believed to be in Guihulngan City.
Virtucio has directed the police to arrest the suspect and file proper criminal charges against him, for violation of the Comelec ban on firearms and deadly weapons as well as direct assault on a person of authority. (FREEMAN)