A pistol-packing construction worker died at the hospital moments after he engaged policemen in a gunbattle dawn Sunday.
Mark Apura De Guzman alias Macmac, from Liguis, La Paz, Abra but was staying in Bangued, Abra’s capital died at the hospital where he was rushed after shooting it out with policemen who pursued him.
Abra police claimed that de Guzman first engaged policemen checking out reports of armed men roaming the streets at around 3:10AM Sunday at Mckinley Street, Zone 7, Bangued.
When de Guzman, on board a motorcycle without a plate number was flagged down, he immediatelt drew a pistol and began exchanging shots with Patrolmen Gabriel Bay-on, 26, from Tawang, La Trinidad, Benguet and Jemar Domingo, 29, from Tamalog, Pinukpuk, Kalinga and Corporal Marlo Delmendo, 34,
from Talogtog, San Juan, La Union.
Policemen pursued De Guzman who attempted to flee on foot towards Astudillo compound in Zone 7, Bangued, Abra which resulted in another shootout which wounded him.
He was brought to the Abra Provincial Hospital but did not make it.
Two fired cartridge cases for Caliber 45, seven fired cartridge cases for Caliber 9mm, one live ammunition for Caliber 45 and threemetallic fragments were found at the first shooting scene including two empty sling bags, two upper garments and one citation ticket named after a certain Johnyvib Agaid Soria were seized from the compartment of the suspect’s motorcycle.
Three fired cartridge cases of Caliber 45, one slug, one live ammunition of Caliber 45, a chamber loaded NORINCO Caliber 45 with serial Number 15343 with one magazine loaded with four ammunition a cellphone and one white T-shirt with blood stains were found at the Astudillo compound where de Guzman sought for cover while shooting it out with policemen.
Reliable sources said it is far to link the Sunday dawn shooting to the upcoming elections but related to a land conflict between the family of De Guzman against another family, prompting him to bring a pistol with him.
Police however vowed to probe deeper into the incident.
