BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO — The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has created Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Lamela to expedite the probe into the fatal shooting of Barangay Captain Michelle Lamela and her husband, Rodney Arellano.
The couple was ambushed by motorcycle-riding assailants in Bangga Tonoy, Barangay Sto. Niño, Dueñas, Iloilo, on December 5, 2024.
Police Major Rolando Arano, IPPO spokesperson, said investigators are thoroughly examining security camera recordings along the routes taken by the suspects to identify them.
“It is our goal to to bring the culprits to justice,” Arano stressed.
Investigators are exploring multiple angles, including personal disputes and political conflicts. One significant lead under scrutiny is a 2008 incident involving Arellano, who was implicated in the killing of a barangay councilor named Joel after an altercation escalated into a fatal shooting.
Authorities are appealing to the public for any information that could aid in the investigation./PN