By Martin A. Sadongdong
The primary suspect in the killing of a Bohol town mayor was shot dead by police in an armed encounter in Danao town yesterday before dawn.
Senior Superintendent Angeles Genorga, director of Bohol Provincial Police Office (PPO), identified the slain suspect as Emigdio Aparece, legal age, and the alleged leader of the Aparece Criminal Gang operating in the province. He was also the most wanted person (MWP) in Danao town, police added.
Aparece was tagged as the gunman who, along with another cohort, shot dead Buenavista, Bohol Mayor Ronald Lowell Tirol in a cockpit arena on May 27. His cohort was identified by police as a certain Elmer Melencion.
Elements of Bohol police’s Provincial Mobile Force Company-Special Weapons and Tactics (PMFC-SWAT) pursued and located Aparece in a residential area at Sitio Santa Ana, Barangay Concepcion in Danao town, some 17 kilometers where Tirol was slain, around 2:45 a.m.
According to the Bohol police’s director, the operatives tried to convince Aparece to surrender but they were met with gunfires.
The operating troops retaliated which ended in the death of Aparece, he added.
Genorga disclosed that Aparece has been the subject of a manhunt operation after being identified by Tirol’s close-in security officers right after the mayor’s death.
