Gen. Debold M. Sinas, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered a thorough investigation on the encounter in the province of Samar on Monday, March 8, that left the mayor of Calbayog City and three policemen, including the head of the police's provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, dead.

A Special Investigation and Task Group headed by Brig. Gen. Ronaldo de Jesus, director of the Police Regional Office 8, was already created and is now getting the testimony of all the people involved and the witnesses during the shootout that occurred at around 5:30 p.m. at the Laboyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy in Calbayog City.

Aside from Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino, those who died were his driver Dennis Abayon and his police security detail Staff Sgt. Rodio Sario. On the side of the policemen, those who died in the clash were Staff Sgt. Romeo Laoyon and Police Capt. Joselito Tabada, the head of the Drug Enforcement Unit of Samar Provincial Police Office.

Lt. Col. Maria Bella Rentuaya, spokesperson of the Eastern Visayas regional police, said a civilian who was hit during the crossfire also died. She added that two more people were wounded, a certain Mansfield Labonete and Staff. Sgt. Neil Cebu.

What happened?

According to the initial reports from the police, Mayor Aquino was on his way to their property to attend the birthday celebration of his child when the shootout erupted. While travelling on board a van, the gunmen allegedly opened fire at the vehicle of the mayor. This reportedly prompted the security escorts of Aquino to retaliate until a shootout erupted.

"Initial investigation conducted disclosed that while the victims (group of Aquino) were on their way to the north direction of Calbayog City on board a white Toyota Hi-Ace van, when they were suddenly fired upon by suspects who were allegedly on board two vehicles," the initial police report read.

"Subsequently, the victims retaliated and resulted to a firefight which resulted to the death of one of the suspects," the report read.

Conflict

In another police report obtained by the Manila Bulletin, that 'one of the suspects' killed turned out to be a policeman identified as Laoyon.

The second report tells another story of what happened: "Initial report disclosed that while on the way to north direction of Calbayog City, the group of Mayor Aquino fired upon vehicles which they allegedly thought were suspiciously tailing them," the report read.

"The other vehicles, which were later identified to be carrying PNP personnel from IMEG (Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group) and PDEI (Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit) then retaliated, hence a firefight ensued," it added.

So who fired first?

De Jesus said that it was the group of Mayor Aquino who fired first at the two vehicles which he confirmed to be loaded with policemen from IMEG and PDEU.

"Based on the initial investigation, it was the group of Mayor Aquino who fired the first shot, our troops of course, retaliated," said de Jesus.

He stressed that the policemen were not tailing the vehicle of Mayor Aquino, explaining that it was just coincidence that the cops were travelling behind the car of the local chief executive.

"Mayor Aquino was not the subject of the operation. Our troops had their own inspection, they had their own operation," said de Jesus.

The 6th fatality

Initially, only five fatalities were reported that include Aquino and two policemen.

But the cadaver of Tabada was later found under the bridge. Tabada is also the concurrent chief of police of Gandara town.

Deadly background

The security situation has long been tense in Calbayog City due to reported politics-related killings in the past.

In fact, then Mayor Reynaldo Uy was killed in a fiesta celebration in 2011. The killing of Uy remain unsolved.

During the 2019 elections, four supporters of Aquino were also killed in an ambush.