Cops hunt killers of pastor, 2 others

By Mar Supnad

CAMP FLORENDO – La Union – Ilocos police director Chief Supt. Constante D. Azares, Jr. has ordered a special investigation group to dig deeper into the shooting incident that killed a pastor and two others in an ambush along the Suyo-Cambaly Road in Barangay Suyo, Bagulin, La Union.

Azares directed the task force headed by Senior Supt. Ireneo O. Inal of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and La Union police officials headed by Senior Supt. Noli G. Taliño, assistant commander of said probe body to solve the incident.

“We condemn this inhuman act and our men are conducting round-the-clock thorough investigation to identify and arrest the suspects. The Region 1 police will not stop until we give justice to the victims and put the assassins behind bars,” Azares said.

Based on reports reaching this headquarters, the shooting incident last April 24, resulted in the deaths of Herminio V. Estacio, 55, married and a Born-Again pastor; his son Glenn, 31, married and their housemaid Elizabeth Q. Laongan, 18, single; all residents of Barangay Cambaly, Bagulin, La Union.

The wife of the pastor identified as Raquel G. Estacio, 51, sustained injuries but survived the ambush after she was rushed by responding policemen to the Bethany Hospital in San Fernando City.

The victims were in a maroon Nissan 4x4 pick-up when they were ambushed by bonnet-wearing gunmen along the descending portion of the Suyo-Cambaly road in Bagulin town about 7:40 a.m. on April 24.

Azares said he ordered maximum security protection for the survivor and assigned 24/7 police security escorts. “This is to ensure the security of Mrs. Estacio because she is now our witness and we are looking into all angles to identify the motive of the ambush.”

The operatives recovered 16 M16 live ammunition, three M16 empty shells, one M16 magazine, five dud ammunition for Cal. 7.62/M-14 with firing pin marks on their primers, two 7.62mm/M14 empty shells, one improvised explosive device (Molotov/incendiary), one red cylinder-shaped bag containing bottles of mineral water, and one piece of black slipper.

Following these, Taliño placed La Union police on alert especially Bagulin and adjacent towns.