Police identifies killers of Broadcaster in Pagadian City

Personnel of Labangan Municipal Police Station

By HIROHITO ‘Jong’ D. CADION

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (May 14, 2018) – The Labangan Police has identified the killers of broadcaster after they were killed and wounded in a more or less six-hours of firefight which led to their death and captured wounded during the hot pursuit operation Saturday 5:00pm at Barangay Dipaya in Labangan municipality of this province.

Labangan MPS Chief of Police Senior Inspector Harry R. Velez identified the three killed suspects and one wounded captured as:

        -Butchoy Abdul (KIA) legal age, and resident of Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur, Recovered from his possession one (1) unit caliber 9mm with one magazine of same caliber;

-Bakar Inok (KIA) legal age, and resident of Barangay Lower sang-an, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur (No firearm recovered);

-Salik Tabina (KIA), legal age, and resident of Barangay Bulanit, Labangan Zamboanga del Sur. Recovered from his possession one  unit KG9 with two magazine of same caliber.

-Arnaiz Alam Kabaro a.k.a. “kabeb," wounded (WIA), Recovered from his possession one unit M4 without Magazine, legal age, and resident of Barangay Lower Sang-an, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur who is now temporarily confined at Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center.

 On Saturday 3:30 afternoon, more or less seven unidentified gunmen shot several times to Carlos Matas using M16 rifle, caliber 45 pistols, and caliber 9mm. The shooting incident transpired particularly in front of Jonathan Salang Magdadaro’s residence located at Purok 2, Barangay Noburan of the said town.

Responding operating troops recovered evidence from the crime scene are fifteen-cartridge case of 5.56 mm, two cartridge case of caliber .45 pistol, one undetermined deformed slug, one cartridge case of caliber 9mm and one live ammunition of caliber 9mm. 

Broadcaster Carlos Arapoc Matas 61-years old, married, and resident of Purok Fatima, Barangay Dao of this city sustained multiple gunshot wounds in his body. Matas also known in his morning radio program as “Caloy.” He is co-anchor with Marivic ‘Titamai’ Jongco, provincial information officer in their provincial government paid morning radio program over DXCA AM/FM of Baganian Broadcast Inc.

A joint PNP personnel of Zamboanga del Sur PPO together with the Provincial Intelligence Branch of ZamboSur PPO, Provincial Mobile Force Company and Labangan MPS and elements of Army’s 53^rd Infantry Battalion responded and conducted a hot pursuit operation which resulted to the encounter between the fleeing suspects.

While on the side of the PNP/AFP operating troops, PSI Aiko R Tesoro, Deputy Chief, Provincial Intelligence Branch was wounded on his right arm and was rushed to Hofileña hospital of this city and subsequently brought to Ozamis City hospital for further treatment.

The recovered firearms are now under the custody of Labangan MPS for proper disposition while PNP personnel from Provincial Crime Laboratory Office (PCLO) conducted crime scene processing.