Militiaman runs amok, kills soldier, another Cafgu member

From the Leyte Samar Daily Express (Jun 19): Militiaman runs amok, kills soldier, another Cafgu member

A soldier and a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) were killed when a Cafgu member ran amuck inside their detachment in a Leyte town Monday afternoon.

Killed were Sergeant Renato Cabarse, assistant commander of Philippine Army’s 78th Infantry Brigade operational control detachment based in Burauen, Leyte, and Cafgu member Alexander Estrella with the assailant identified as 55-year old Cesar Manidlagan who also died during the incident, Police Inspector Federico Sanchez, police chief of Burauen town, said.

Another Cafgu member, Abner Tolibas, was hit and wounded at his right shoulder due to the incident.

“The whole incident happened only for less than three minutes,” Sanchez, in a phone interview, said.

Manidlagan was shot and killed by another Cafgu member, Genes Cabidog.

The incident took place around 4:45 pm Monday inside a Cafgu detachment located in Barangay Anonang.

Estrella died on the spot while Cabarse died while he was being treated at the Burauen District Hospital. Tolibas was brought to a hospital in Tacloban for medical treatment and was said to be in stable condition.

All the victims were on duty and stationed at their respective posts at the time of the incident, Sanchez said.

“We are still conducting our investigation though we can declare the case as solved as the suspect is already dead. What we are doing right now is to establish the motive of the suspect,” the town police chief said.

But based on their initial investigation, Manidlagan attended a birthday celebration of a relative and was under the influence of liquor when he entered their detachment, 10.6 kms. away from town center.

He was said to have immediately proceeded to his barracks and get his service firearm, a Garand rifle, and shot his victims.

First to be hit was Estrella who died on the spot, followed by Cabarse and Tolibas, who was inside a foxhole.

Estrella and Cabarse, who was then the acting chief of the Cafgu unit, were stationed in post number 1.
  
Sensing that he would be the next victim of Manidlagan, Cabidog shot and eventually killed the suspect. Cabidog was stationed at post number 2.

The victims and the suspect belong to the 78th Infantry Battalion based in Brgy. Abuyogon, six kms away from the crime scene.

Captain Dranreb Canto, spokesperson of the 802nd Infantry Brigade based in Ormoc City, declined to comment on the incident saying they would conduct their own investigation.

“But this is an unfortunate incident,” Canto, reached on his mobile phone, said.

Felipe Gerona, a Cafgu member, recounted in a mobile phone interview that Manidlangan got drunk from attending a birthday party in the village. He went to his barracks and grabbed a tip bolo and attempted to hack Cabarse but Estrella, who was on duty, pacified him.

“After Manidlangan was pacified, he went back to his barracks and grabbed a M1 Garand rifle and shoot Estrella. Cabarse who was approaching the camp was also shot to death by the suspect,” Gerona narrated.

http://leytesamardaily.net/2013/06/militiaman-runs-amok-kills-soldier-another-cafgu-member/