Suspect in Ilocos vice mayor’s ambush nabbed

By Freddie G. Lazaro

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte -- Police arrested one of the three suspects in the ambush of the vehicle carrying Vice Mayor Jessie Ermitanio’s of Marcos town last Tuesday, which resulted in the death of his driver.

Chief Insp. Lauro Milan, Marcos chief of police, confirmed the arrest of Allan Coloma Gante, 26, of Barangay Caestebanan, Banna, this province, a day after the failed attempt to kill Ermitanio last April 4.

The three gunmen opened fire at Vice Mayor Ermitanio’s vehicle, wounding him and his two companions – Ricky P. Florendo, 32, and Edralene D. Arellano, 26 – and killing his 21-year-old driver, Lucky Jesrel R. Rumbaoa.

Milan identified a second suspect in the attack as Joey Sia, of Barangay Cabitauran, Nueva Era town, who is now the subject of a hunt. The third suspect remains unidentified, he said.