Barangay tanod shot outside Cebu City school

This is the area where barngay tanod Brian Mabaga was shot by a still unidentified suspect on Monday evening, May 9, 2022. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A few minutes before voting centers closed on Monday evening, May 9, 2022, a barangay tanod was shot by still unidentified perpetrators just in front of the Zapatera Elementary School. 

Police identified the victim as Brian Mabaga, who was conscious when taken to a hospital, said Police Major Albert Quilitorio, chief of the Parian Police Station. 

Based on initial information, Quilitorio said that Mabaga was just sitting with some companions when a man arrived and shot him at 6:42 p.m. 

“Naay niabot nga lalaki tas nilipot siya.  Ang lalaki nilakaw ra. Siya ra gyuy tumong kay naa man to siyay kauban, pero sya raman gyud ang naigo,” Quilitorio said.

(A man arrived and he went around him. Tha man was just walking. It was really the victim who was the target because he had companions but it was only him who was hit.)

Witnesses in the area claimed that the suspect rode a motorcycle driven by another person. They were accompanied by another man onboard a separate motorcycle.

Quilitorio said the victim is a barangay tanod (village watchman) of Barangay Lorega. 

Mabaga was one of those who helped police in monitoring the polling center at the Zapatera Elementary School on election day. 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Devaras, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they could not consider this as election related pending their investigation. 

“Very daring kaayo. Atoang pulis man gud, toa sa sulod sa skwelahan unya sya naa sa gawas. Unya nakit an siguro ni sya, dugay nani sya gipangita allegedly, ug natimingan siya nga naa sa gawas,” Devaras said. 

(It was vary daring. Our policemen were inside the school and [the victim] was outside. He might have been seen, because he has been allegedly hunted, and it just so happened he was outside.)

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Devaras said that they recovered at least four empty shells of a still unidentified firearm.

Devaras said they beefed up security in the area following this incident. They deployed at least eight additional personnel in the area as of this posting.

Devaras admitted that the incident caused a  mild commotion in the voting center.

/bmjo

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