BANGUED, Abra – Police arrested four suspects in the murder of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) teacher in a hot pursuit operation, hours after the crime was committed here on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
Col. Maly Cula, Abra police chief, identified the suspects as Sonny Boy Gandeza Tullas, 31, construction worker, of Cabaroan, Tayum, Abra; Abelardo Talape, 42, traffic enforcer, of Patucannay, Tayum; Aldrin Alagao, alias “Bull,” and Rommel Paa, alias “Ambong.”
Police said the victim, Rudy Steward Dugmam Sayen, also known as "Estee Saway," 38, single, of Zone 4 here was on his way to work at Suyo National High School in Pidigan, Abra at about 7:50 a.m. when the suspects onboard two motorcycles – Paa and his driver Tullas in the first and Alagao, the lookout, and Talape, the middleman, in the other – discreetly tailed him.
Paa drew a gun and fired at Sayen upon reaching a car wash on the Abra-Ilocos Sur Road in Barangay Lipcan.
Cula said through closed circuit television footage in the area, police determined Tullas’ and Talape’s motorcycles.
Lawmen mounted a hot-pursuit operation and Tullas was arrested in Tayum at 10 a.m.
Seven hours later at 5 p.m., Sallapadan police led by Patrolman Melchor Cariño stopped and arrested Talape in a checkpoint in Sitio Gangal, Barangay Poblacion.
Sallapadan police positively identified Talape as one of the suspects based on the description from the CCTV.
The next day, Thursday, Sept. 29, at around 9:30 a.m., Alagao, through Barangay Cabaroan, Tayum Chairman Ilarde Jacquias, voluntarily surrendered to the police here and executed an extra-judicial confession assisted by Atty. Hamilcar P. Bigornia.
Also on Thursday, the Provincial Intelligence Unit arrested Paa in Barangay Cabaroan, Tayum.
On Thursday night, murder charges were filed against the suspects before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor here.
Sayen sustained two bullet wounds and the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company rushed the victim to the Abra Provincial Hospital here where he was declared dead by Dr. Louie Jon Enerva.
The suspects told police that they fatally shot Sayen due to a land dispute and old personal grudges.