BALUNGAO -- Four persons, including a policeman, were tagged as suspects in the attack of three minors in San Miguel village here Friday evening.
Pangasinan provincial police director Rosueto Ricaforte identified the suspects as brothers Domingo, Saturnino, and Jovito de Jesus and one Senior Police Officer 2 Loreto Florendo.
Florendo is assigned at the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The four were accused of the killing Paul Brian Villapa, Brian Luna and Mike Sapiil, all aged 14 years old, of San Miguel village here. R-Jay Sobrevilla, 16, survived in the attack because he ran to safety when he heard gunshots.
The victims were walking home from a wake at nearby Barangay San Raymundo when they were attacked around 11 p.m. Friday.
Investigators said the firearms used in the attack M-16, M-14 and carbine rifles based on the empty shells were recovered at the crime scene.
Balungao deputy police chief Rodolfo Olinda Jr. said the suspects could have thought their target was with the teenagers. He said the suspects shot relentlessly at the victims until all of them were down.
Revenge against Reggy Villapa, the father of Paul Brian Villapa, is said to be the motive behind the killing.
In sworn statements, the older Villapa and other witnesses said there was old grudge between the suspects and Reggy, a member of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team of Barangay San Miguel.
The De Jesus brothers were invited for questioning and were brought at the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory in Urdaneta City for paraffin examination.
The brothers are from Barangay San Raymundo, this town, while Florendo is from Barangay Cabaruan at nearby Umingan town.
Information for three counts of murder and frustrated murder are set to be filed Monday before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office.
Meanwhile, an Undersecretary from the Department of Education was set to go to the wake of the three victims Sunday evening. (Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre/Sunnex)
