An elusive fugitive, ranked number one in the list of most-wanted persons in Binalbagan town, died in a grenade blast Tuesday in Brgy. Gargato, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, police records show.

Roger Era, who has a pending arrest warrant for murder issued by Himamaylan Regional Trial Court Judge Nilo Sarsaba, succumbed to multiple injuries after a fragmentation grenade he took from his bag, exploded, police investigations showed.

Shortly before the explosion, Era, who had a homemade shotgun, traded shots with a team of police intelligence operatives headed by Inspector Bong Torculas, who was about to serve an arrest warrant for him at a construction site for residential houses in Sitio Campo Menir, Brgy. Gargato, Hinigaran, at about 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Torculas said they introduced themselves as police officers and told the fugitive not to run, as they will only serve his arrest warrant.

Instead of heeding their advice, Era opened fire at them, and pulled out a fragmentation grenade from his bag, which exploded, he added.

Police records show that Era was also linked to the killing of a certain James Villaflor Tamayor on Jan. 31 last year, at Sitio Butong, Brgy. San Pedro, Binalbagan.

Era had gone into hiding in Pontevedra and Hinigaran, before he was killed Tuesday, police investigations also showed.

Senior Inspector Albert Sy, Binalbagan police chief, yesterday confirmed that Era, who is facing murder charges for the death of the younger brother of a policewoman in Himamaylan in 2007, topped the list of 10 most-wanted persons in Binalbagan.

Era's son, whose first name he cannot recall, who was also working at the construction site, managed to escape, Sy added.

He also said that the other respondent in the murder case, identified as a certain Ram Ram Arevalo, had been arrested in previous months by the Binalbagan police, in Bacolod City.* GPB

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