TALISAY AMBUSH. Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) personnel from the Talisay City Police Office gather evidence from the vehicle of slain Barangay Lagtang Councilman Art Stephen C. Bas who was ambushed at the South Coastal Road, Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City, on July 20, 2018.
Art Stephen Bas, 24, was driving a Ford Everest on his way to school when he was slowed down by traffic at the South Coastal Road in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City, at past 8 a.m. yesterday.
His vehicle, which was heavily tinted, was sandwiched between two motorcycles, each boarded by two men.
The backrider of one of the motorcycles turned out to be his killer, pumping at least 13 bullets into the SUV.
The killing of Bas, a newly elected councilman of Barangay Lagtang and grandson of incumbent
Talisay City Councilor Arturo Bas, was the beginning of a bloody day for Talisay City.
An hour later in Barangay Linao, 14 men on board six motorcycles opened fire at and killed the three inmates who were inside the vehicle of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) while they were about to be brought to the Hall of Justice for the arraignment of their cases.
The police had no clue as to the motive of the killings or the identities of the gunmen involved in the two incidents that were just seven kilometers apart.
The ambush-slay of Bas, who was scheduled to finish his course in Mechanical Engineering at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University this October, could be a case of mistaken identity, according to Supt. Marlu Conag, Talisay City Police Office chief.
He would not give details except to say the vehicle was registered in the name of one of the parents of the young Bas.
“The vehicle was heavily tinted. Witnesses said the gunman opened the vehicle and looked at the victim,” said Conag. “It is possible that this is a case of mistaken identity because you cannot see the driver due to the heavy tint on the vehicle.”
Conag said they would still need to check with the Land Transportation Office to determine who owned the vehicle driven by the young Bas.
The slain young man’s father, Ferdinand Bas, a former village chief of Lagtang, was in the “narco-list” of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. He was arrested last April 15 after several firearms were seized from his house during a police raid, and has since been freed from detention.
No known enemy
The Bas family immediately sought for speedy resolution into the killing of Art Stephen.
The victim’s younger brother Arthur Dean said Art Stephen had no known enemy in their place and didn’t receive any threats prior to the attack.
Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas, in a short statement on Friday, also called on the police to solve the crime, as he strongly condemned the killing of Bas.
“It is my hope that the police can resolve it immediately,” Gullas said.
Based on accounts of witnesses, the sports utility vehicle driven by Bas was in between two motorcycles boarded by two unidentified men each, said SPO4 Frederick Larrobis, Talisay City police investigator.
As the vehicle slowed down because of the traffic, the backrider of the motorcycle on the driver’s side repeatedly fired at Bas. When the SUV stopped, the gunman went down from the motorcycle, opened the door on the driver’s side to check on the victim.
After looking at Bas, Larrobis said the gunman went back to the motorcycle and sped off.
At least 13 empty slugs of .45 caliber pistol were later recovered from the crime scene.
Three inmates
As the police were still processing the crime scene in the Bas killing, another ambush took place in Barangay Linao at about 9:15 a.m.
Detainees Yayam Gaviola, Marwin Abelgas and Rabadon Jovencio had just boarded the BJMP vehicle outside the compound of the Talisay City Jail to attend the arraignment of their cases at the Hall of Justice.
Gaviola and Abelgas were facing drug charges while Jovencio was charged with frustrated murder.
The vehicle was just a few meters from the facility when the driver saw two men slumped on the ground, apparently pretending that they crashed with their motorcycle.
When the BJMP vehicle stopped, the two men suddenly got up and walked toward the inmates.
Then six motorcycles, each boarded by two men, arrived.
The 14 men then pulled out their firearms and fired at the inmates. They didn’t hurt the BJMP personnel.
They then returned to their motorcycles and fled.
Speedy solution
Senior Supt. Manuel Abrugena, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director, ordered Conag to leave no stone unturned in the investigation, determine the motives and get the perpetrators.
“We don’t have suspects yet but we will strongly coordinate to conduct deep investigation, With these incidents, we will not also discount the possibility that the strafing in Maghaway (Linao) and Talisay SRP (South Road Properties) are connected,” said Abrugena.
Abrugena said that the three inmates who were killed during the strafing had been listed as high-value target of the Philippine National Police.
He said the three slain prisoners had records showing their involvement in illegal drugs while inside of the Talisay City Jail, which is operated by BJMP.
“(But) even these three casualties were inmates, we need to bring justice for them,” Abrugena said.
Abrugena also said the public should not be alarmed by the series of killings recorded in the province in the past few weeks, assuring residents that Cebu remains a safe to live in.
Abrugena said only those who are involved in illegal activities, especially in drugs, appeared unsafe in Cebu.