TABUK CITY, Kalinga– Three drug personalities here were felled by gunmen in a span of one week bringing to at least seven the number of drug-related killings in the city since July.
Around noon yesterday, November 23, Bryan dela Cruz, 38, married, vendor and resident of Ubbog, Magsaysay, this city just came from a hearing at the Regional Trial Court Branch 25 relative to a drug case in barangay Bulanao when shot in the tricycle which was bringing him to the Bulanao Public Market.
Tricycle driver Dante Bag-ay, 30, married, resident of Isla, San Juan, this city, told police that when they entered De Jesus Street, he heard a gunshot and saw two men on board a black Honda XRM motorcycle wearing helmets and black pants and black shoes with the backrider holding a gun passing the tricycle.
Scared, Bag-ay said he stopped the tricycle and ran for safety whereupon he saw the men walk near the tricycle with the backrider shooting into it.
When the men quit the scene, Bag-ay returned to his tricycle and upon seeing that the victim was still breathing, brought him to the nearby Kalinga Provincial Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
Police said that the hospital staff who attended to Dela Cruz recovered from his pocket his certificate of discharge from jail dated August 1, 2016 on account of the case against him for violation of RA 9165.
The day before at around 4: 30 PM, Sheaffer Sandoval, 29, married, construction worker and resident of Cabaruan, this city, dropped by the farm of Jade Songgadan along Longdayan Road in Cabaruan and joined several farm workers who were then drinking liquor.
Moments later, a man armed with a short fire arm emerged and shot him at close range while another man pointed a gun at the horrified witnesses. Both men were wearing masks and helmets. They fled on board a black and red XRM motorcycle.
The victim who sustained four gunshot wounds died on the spot.
Early morning of November 16 at Dagupan Weste, this city, Jimmy Ordonia, 31, married and resident of Purok 2, Bulanao, this city, was walking with a companion along Bonifacio Street when attacked by two men on board a Wave motorcycle painted black and red and wearing helmets.
Witnesses say that the backrider shot Ordonia once while the motorcycle was in motion and then alighted and shot him several more times at close range.
The gunmen fled towards the south of the street.
Ordonia was rushed to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital where he expired while undergoing treatment.
Tabuk City police investigators this reporter talked to could not as yet tell if Dela Cruz surrendered under Operation Tokhang but they said that Ordonia gave himself up on September 2 and Sandoval on November 7 both under the “shabu user” category.** By Estanislao C. Albano Jr.
