By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — An alleged member of a gun-for-hire group was arrested after a shootout with the police that killed a man and injured another.
The shootout ensued when police operatives introduced themselves to two suspected members of the AWOL gun-for-hire group who were having a drinking spree in Barangay Estancia here, said Senior Police Officer 1 Isidro Jay Teofilo.
Arrested was Alvin Bernesto, 34, of Barangay Capoyuan, Barbaza, Antique.
Bernesto denied being a member of AWOL and said he was Benjie Sitjar of Buruanga town. He said his arrest was a case of mistaken identity.
Police, however, said they seized from Bernesto faked identification cards with the name Benjie Sitjar.
Authorities were targeting Bernesto and Romnick Piano alias “Inday” of Barangay Agbalogo, Makato, Aklan. Piano, however, managed to escape. He remains at large as of press time.
Teofilo, investigator for Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Aklan, said an informant pointed the suspects to them.
Berneso and Piano and two others were binge drinking in a house at the Capitol Site in Barangay Estancia at about 11 p.m. on Saturday when policemen approached them.
Ricky Jomao-as, 42, of Barangay Regador, Ibajay, suddenly drew out his handgun and fired at the policemen. The policemen fired back, hitting Jomao-as in the chest.
Jomao-as was taken to the provincial hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Police recovered from him a .38-caliber revolver with two ammunition and three fired cartridges.
Jomari Saligumba, 24, of Barangay Tina, Makato, was hit in the buttocks. He was confined in the provincial hospital.
The hunt for Bernesto and Piano followed the arrest of another alleged AWOL member, Joven Toisa, 38.
CIDG-Aklan led by Senior Inspector John Paul Tovera and the Provincial Intelligence Branch collared Toisa at about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 19 in his house in Barangay Tagas, Tangalan.
After Saturday’s shootout, police also arrested Joel Masula, 42, a carpenter from Barangay Naisud, Ibajay, who was near the gate at the time.
Detained in the Kalibo police station, Masula denied any involvement with AWOL. He said he did not know the suspects.
Bernesto said the policemen disturbed them. “Ang mga pulis ang nagpulupok una tag nagsinggit mga pulis sanda (The policemen fired first and then introduced themselves),” he said.
The AWOL was allegedly behind the murder of Michael Serano, 31, of Barangay Tina, Makato on Oct. 30 last year.
Judge Nestor Bartolome of Regional Trial Court Branch 8 here issued the arrest warrant against Bernesto, Piano and four others on Sept. 10. He recommended no bail.
Also at large were Roger Mabalo of Barangay Castillo, Makato, and Rey Piano alias “Bagrik,” Edward Macawili Jr. and Reden Tumolog, all of Barangay Agbalogo, Makato. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
