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[av_heading heading=’Tanza Esperanza tanod survives slay attempt’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – Motorcycle-riding gunmen shot the barangay tanod commander of Tanza Esperanza, City Proper on Monday night.
The 56-year-old Rolando Calajatan survived the attack but sustained gunshot wounds on his right arm and right knee. He was taken to the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital.
Calajatan was shot around 9:45 p.m. while inside their outpost. His companion, 45-year-old trisikad driver Raul Celebrado, was wounded on the left leg and treated at the same hospital.
Calajatan was a self-confessed drug user and surrendered to the police a few months ago, said Chief Inspector Aldren Lamera of Police Station 1.
From what the police so far gathered, the suspects were wearing bonnets. Their motorcycle stopped at the tanod outpost then the back rider started firing a handgun.
“The suspects were really targeting the tanod chief,” said Lamera.
Policemen recovered from the crime scene five .9mm pistol bullet shell casings.
Lamera said suspects have been identified and his men were hunting them down. He was convinced that the shooting was drug-related.
Two months ago, Calajatan helped the police dismantle two suspected drug dens in Barangay Tanza Esperanza, said Lamera.
He was also looking into allegations that Calajatan was once linked to the Odicta drug group.
“We are checking that angle…who wanted him dead,” said Lamera.
Barangay Tanza Esperanza’s border shared with the adjacent barangay of Malipayon is where the residence of slain suspected drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr. is situated.
Following the arrest of Odicta’s three sons on Dec. 8, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 6 declared the Odicta drug group virtually crippled./PN
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