Police arrest 2 men for strafing attempt

CEBU, Philippines — Two persons who allegedly attempted on strafing the Talisay City Jail in Barangay Maghaway, Talisay City got shot instead by the jail guards Friday dawn.

Talisay City Jail Warden Superintendent Gil Inopia said that the jail guards noticed two persons on board a red motorcycle who suspiciously drove by the facility at around 2 a.m.

After 10 minutes, the duo reportedly came back and the passenger drew his KG9 firearm and attempted to fire at the gate.  The gun conked out.

The jail guards immediately retaliated and wounded the two suspects identified as Joseph Troy Briones, 19, a resident of Barangay Langtad, Talisay City and Arjiann Bacus, 21, a resident of Barangay Lawaan III, Talisay City.

Briones sustained a gun wound shot in his left shoulder, while Bacus was hit in his mouth.

The two suspects immediately fled the area leaving their motorcycle.

Talisay Police Chief Jason Villamater and his men immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation against the suspects and were able to arrest Briones at the Talisay District Hospital.

Bacus was arrested in a hospital in Cebu City at around 9 a.m.  yesterday.

Recovered from the suspects was a KG9 loaded with 26 live ammunitions.

Villamater said they are now investigating if Briones and Bacus were also the persons responsible for the past strafing incidents in the facility.

He, however, did not discount the possibility that there are other groups involved.

“Puwedeng isang grupo, pero pwedeng may other group involved but connected sila sa isat isa,” said Villamater.

Talisay City jail was strafed four times this year.

Inopia said there is a possibility that the person behind the strafing incident are holding grudges against him after he implemented some stringent policies under his leadership, but he still did not discount the other possibilities.

Bacus reportedly used to be a detainee at the Talisay City jail for illegal possession of firearms.

The police, however, are still investigating to determine the possible motive of the strafing incidents in the facility.

Meanwhile, prior to Bacus’s arrest, the police received a report about his presence in Barangay Mananga, Talisay which prompted the authorities to immediately proceed to the area.

Instead of seeing Bacus, the police had an encounter with one of Talisay’s most wanted personalities, Ricky Tan, who has two standing warrants of arrest for murder and theft.

Tan sustained a gunshot wound to his left abdomen.

The police also arrested Cesar Taactaac, 25, and Jeoffry Tabay, 22, believed to be a member of a gun-for-hire group and involved in robbery and theft incidents in Talisay City.

Recovered from Taactaac and Tabay was a .22 caliber revolver, while the police seized a KG9 firearm from Tan.

Meanwhile, a certain William Alindajao, legal age, was reportedly hit by a stray bullet in Barangay Mananga during the police encounter with Tan.

“Daplis lang, kaagad nating pinapunta sa hospital,” said Villamater. (FREEMAN)