Cops have persons of interest in fiesta shooting in Negros Or

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Norppo) already has persons of interest in a shooting incident that killed a policeman and a jail officer during a fiesta in Bayawan City on Feb. 18.

But Police Lieutenant Colonel Kym Lopez, public information officer of Norppo, said the names of these personalities were withheld so as not to affect the investigation.

Patrolman Rhulin Marr Abrasaldo, 28, of Basay town, assigned to the 705th Maneuver Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-7; and Edwin La-ag, 55, of, Barangay Tinago, assigned to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the city, were killed, while a civilian identified as Winchita Jamim, 56, a helper, of Barangay Tinago, was wounded in the incident.

Investigation indicated that Abrasaldo and Jamim went to the house of La-ag in Barangay Tinago as the city was celebrating its annual fiesta.

Jamim was standing in front of La-ag’s house, while La-ag and Abrasaldo were talking on the opposite side of the road when two unidentified persons on a motorcycle arrived.

One of the suspects disembarked from the motorcycle and shot Jamim. This prompted Abrasaldo and La-ag to react. But before they could shoot the suspect, the latter repeatedly shot both of them.

All three victims were taken to Bayawan District Hospital, but La-ag and Abrasaldo were declared dead on arrival.

Jamim survived the gun attack and is still recuperating at Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital in Dumaguete City.

Lopez said that police have yet to establish the motive in the incident.

Lopez said that Abrasaldo survived an ambush in Barangay San Roque, Bayawan City on Aug. 15, 2022, while his colleague was killed.