5 killed, 3 cops hurt in Mabinay shootout

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Four personnel of the Bais City Civil Security Office (not Civil Security Group as earlier reported by the police) were killed, and three policemen were wounded in a shootout inside the compound of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at Barangay Bulwang in Mabinay Wednesday afternoon.

 The fatalities were identified as Feliciano “Fely” Candido, holding the position of CSO agent 1, Cedric Regino, Angel Torres and Renato Torres, all job order employees of Bais City LGU, according to Bais City legal officer Lloyd Elmaco.

 The fifth fatality was identified as Grasing Embalsado, who Elmaco said was not in the roster of Bais LGU employees.

 Wounded on the side of the police were PO1 Reyden Cadiz, a member of the Regional Public Safety Company-7, and Bais City SWAT members PO1s Rodeo Jaluag and Jemrey Montessa.

 The police also arrested four of Candido’s companions: Ricky Sohot, Junjun Gutib, Richard Royo and Rolando Candido, while their unidentified companion was able to escape.

 The shootout occurred when the four CSO personnel, headed by Fely Candido, and five civilians fired at the policemen of the Mabinay-based RPSC-7 who responded to the call for assistance from DENR-Bulwang manager Dionesia Trongcoso.

 It was learned that the group of Candido went to the DENR-Bulwang to claim the chainsaw, owned by Sohot, confiscated by forest rangers for alleged illegal cutting of trees at the Mabinay Reforestation Project site last November 5. Trongcoso allegedly refused Candido’s demand, telling the latter that it has to go through an administrative hearing first and that only the DENR regional director can have it released to the claimant.

 The group of Candido was armed, prompting Trongcoso to call the RPSC-7 for assistance. The latter’s head, Inspector Lowelyn Reyes, first contacted the Bais City police, headed by Superintendent Jonathan Pineda, to verify if the Candido group was connected to the city government, as claimed by Candido himself by showing his ID of the CSO of Bais.

 Pineda and his policemen joined the RPSC-7 men in responding to the scene, after verifying that one of Candido’s companions had a pending warrant of arrest for frustrated murder.

 The responding policemen called the attention of somebody in Candido’s group after noticing a bulge in the latter’s waist, but the civilian opened fire at the police, resulting in the exchange of gunfire.

 Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office director, Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, had clarified it was not a mis-encounter between the Bais City Police and the RPSC-7, and neither was it an encounter between the authorities and the alleged members of the CSG of Bais City.

 Carlos said the shootout, at about 2:25 p.m. Wednesday, was reactionary on the part of the police to protect themselves and the civilians, including employees of the DENR who were inside the compound when the armed group of Candido was being verified.

 Elmaco told The Freeman that Candido and his co-CSO personnel were not on “official trip” and that he was not fami-liar of the armed men who were with Candido at the DENR and that they were not in any way connected with the city government.

 The Bais City lawyer said the group’s visit to DENR was not authorized by the city government and that CSO personnel were not also authorized to carry firearms.

 He also clarified that retired colonel Joel Lasmarias, civil security officer of Bais City, was not in Mabinay, as earlier reported, when the shootout occurred, because Lasmarias was with him the whole day in Bais at the time.

Elmaco said the city government did not have control or knowledge of Candido and the others carrying guns outside of their functions as CSO personnel. He then confirmed that Candido himself was out on bail after being arrested several months back for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

 After the shootout, Carlos said the police recovered firearms from the four suspects, a .45-caliber pistol with one magazine loaded with seven bullets, an improvised shotgun with two ammunition, a .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver, a US Carbine caliber-30 with a magazine of 15 rounds, three hand grenades and several ID cards of Candido’s group. These are now in custody of SOCO personnel for ballistic examinations.

 Carlos said charges are now being readied against the arrested suspects for assault against persons in authority, threat and harassment against personnel and employees of DENR in Mabinay, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and explosives.

 Carlos said Candido’s group went outside of their area of jurisdiction, purposely to harass DENR personnel in Mabinay purportedly to recover the chainsaw registered under his name, and such activity has nothing to do with his job as a CSO member.

 The police are conducting a thorough investigation to determine whether the rest of the group were also CSO members because they carried different ID cards, except for Candido.

 Meanwhile, the Bais City LGU is awaiting a formal investigation report from the police as well as from the RPSB-7 on the Mabinay encounter, apart from conducting its own probe, said Elmaco.

 The city government is also extending financial assistance to the Bais City residents who were killed or wounded in that incident, he added.  (FREEMAN)