Top cops hunt gunmen in Villasis blood bath

By Mar T. Supnad

CAMP FLORENDO, La Union – A police task force is now hunting suspects in the shooting incident that resulted to the death of two and wounding of three others in Barangay Barangobong, Villasis, Pangasinan last week.

Region 1 police head Chief Supt. Ramon V. Gatan ordered Thursday the formation of the group.

Reports reaching the PRO1 headquarters here identified the five victims as Ferdinand Celis alias Caboy, 46; Rolando Celis alias Lando, 57; Nora Celis, of legal age; Richard Celis, 28; and Daniel Celis, 5; all residents of the place.

The victims were reportedly aboard their Isuzu Extreme Vehicle heading towards east direction when the suspects riding in a Mitsubishi L300 white van with unidentified plate number blocked the way of the victims and subsequently fired at them.

The victims sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed by responding policemen to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Urdaneta City where Ferdinand and Nora Celis were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician, while Rolando Celis is now in critical condition.

The police recovered from the scene 46 empty shells and a bullet for 5.56 MM rifle, 20 empty shells and one bullet for .30 Carbine, three empty shells and one ammunition for Cal. 45 pistol, three empty shells for Cal. 9 MM, and two deformed slugs.

Gatan directed Pangasinan police to focus their efforts in solving the incident and dig deeper into the case for the early identification and arrest of perpetrators of this heinous crime.