Suspect in murder of Abra councilor and brod nabbed

TINEG, Abra – Police arrested one of the suspects in the murder of a municipal councilor and his brother here at SitioMadegnak, Alaoa afternoon of Dec. 7.

Chief Supt. Benjamin B. Magalong, Cordillera police director said the incident was not politically motivated and identified the suspect as Dante Zapata, 30, single,  ofSitioTapayen, Alaoa, Tineg.

Zapata, with  still unidentified male persons, were tagged suspects in the murder of Tineg councilor Rey Lanag Tandi, 43, and his brother Roy Lanag Tandi, 37, farmer, both residents of Barangay Alaoa, Tineg, Abra.

The brothers were killed Dec. 5 in an ambush at Aitio Bagangaw, Alaoa, Tineg.

Investigation showed the victims were on board a motorcycle from SitioNarnaan and were reportedly on their way to Alaoa when they were fired upon by the suspects who positioned themselves in strategic portions of the road.

Roy Tandi was declared dead on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body while his brother Rey died while being treated at the Abra Provincial Hospital also due to multiple gunshot wounds. 

Responding operatives of the Tineg municipal police station recovered from the crime scene A Cal. 45 pistol with one magazine loaded with two bullets and a .357 Magnum pistol with one magazine loaded with five  ammunition.  

The firearms were turned over to Abra Provincial Police Office and later to Regional Crime Laboratory for examination.

Zapata was arrested by joint elements of the Abra Provincial Police Office and Regional Public Safety Battalion during a follow-up operation and is now under the custody of Tineg police awaiting resolution of the provincial prosecutor’s office on the charge of double murder filed against him.

Magalong ordered police operating units in Abra to intensify their manhunt operations against the remaining suspects.

According to Magalong, the murder of the Tandi brothers was not politically motivated.

Meanwhile, the arrest of Zapata was through the intercession of Tineg Mayor Edwin Crisologo.