DASMARIÑAS, Cavite – Police eyed vengeance as the motive in the recent shooting attacks that killed a policeman and a suspected crime group leader on Molino-Paliparan Road here.
Dasmariñas police identified the fatalities as PO3 Andy Saliva Viadumang, 36, an Imus City police intelligence operative; and one Noel Andal Latoza, the alleged leader of the so-called Pares Group.
Senior Inspector Valero Bueno, city police investigation chief, said that a group shot Viadumang in a chase as he fled driving a Hyundai Tucson car (without plate numbers) along the road.
The attack reportedly happened shortly after the policeman shot Latoza also in the area.
Responding policemen found Viadumang dead with multiple bullet wounds in his car.
PO3 Reynald Afable and Elmo Caboboy, case investigators, reported that Latoza, who suffered a bullet wound in the head, was declared dead on arrival at De La Salle University Medical Center also in Dasmariñas.
The twin shootings happened at about 7 p.m. Monday.
Bueno, citing an initial investigation report, said that Viadumang may have shot Latoza to avenge the killing of a “ka-tropa,” (companion) in an attack this year.
Latoza, also known as “Jun Pares,” and his group were allegedly involved in the killing. Bueno said that there were also charges of murder, as well as robbery, that had been filed previously against the suspects.
Bueno said that the policeman’s assailants had been identified but he withheld their identities for the meantime.
Superintendent Joseph Reyes Arguelles, Dasmariñas police chief, ordered a manhunt for the suspects. (Anthony Giron)
