A former barangay official and political leader of Vice Mayor Santiago Barcelona yesterday disputed findings of the police that there was a shoot-out between the victim of what he claimed was a “strafing incident” and an armed group, in Brgy. Buenavista, Escalante City, on Nov. 16.

Former Buenavista barangay captain Emilio Tangoyan said the claims of the police that there was a shoot-out between Bobby Pabon and the armed group, was impossible, since he was not armed.

Chief Insp. Santiago Rapiz, Escalante police chief, however, said assorted empty shells of M-16 and M-14 assault rifles, and a .45 caliber pistol were recovered at the door of the house of Pabon, which may indicate there was an exchange of fire.

Rapiz said he suspects that at least three persons engaged the armed group in a gunbattle.

Rapiz got the ire of Barcelona because of his closeness to Mayor Melecio Yap, who allegedly is using the policemen to harass his political opponents.

Rapiz, whose relief as Escalante police chief is being sought by Barcelona, dismissed the accusations as absurd and baseless.

The intense political rivalries in Escalante claimed the lives of five supporters of Barcelona in 2007, police records show.

A group of unidentified armed men allegedly strafed the house of Pabon, forcibly entered and ransacked the residences of Tangoyan and George Pedrano, who are also supporters of Barcelona, in Brgy. Buenavista, Escalante City.

Tangoyan revealed that the strafing incident and harassment took place after Rapiz allegedly pulled out policemen assigned at the Community Police Assistance Center, which is located half-a-kilometer away from Brgy. Buenavista.

Rapiz said policemen assigned at the sub-police precinct in Brgy. Rizal, which is a kilometer away from Brgy. Buenavista, are serving five barangays, and always roving around.

He explained that he gathered a sizeable police force, including personnel at the COMPAC, and responded about 30 minute to reports of the presence of armed men in the barangay.

Fisherman Elbert Sagal, in his affidavit, claimed that nine armed men who were wearing bonnets boarded the Bantay Dagat pumpboat of Buenavista, who shouted at him to lie down.

Sagal said the armed men he saw at the back of his house, may have been companions of the suspects who shot Pabon.

Rapiz said Yap is planning to relocate the COMPAC station to Brgy. Buenavista, Escalante, because of the incident.

He urged the supporters of Barcelona, who claim to have knowledge of the suspects, to help them in filing charges against the perpetrators, and not by just reporting it to the media.

The son of Pabon, in an interview with DYAF, said he saw that his father was shot by the armed suspects, who also barged into their home.*GPB

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