Probe on Jueteng Lord Slay Pressed

NAGA CITY (September 17)- - THE POLICE PROVINCIAL OFFICE (PPO) here has directed the Tigaon Police investigators to probe an illegal numbers game-related violence that resulted to the killing of a known gambling lord and another jueteng henchman during a shooting incident at Barangay Poblacion, Tigaon, Camarines Sur in the evening of September 14. including two others wounded in a crossfire,

Camarines Sur Police director, Sr. Supt. Rodolfo Llorca directed Tigaon Police Chief Insp. Batacan to investigate the shooting incident that killed Reynato Ma. Umali, 42, a resident in Tigaon town and of Calintaan, Talisay, Camarines Norte;  and a certain Ronnie Lapuz, 50, a resident of Sta Lucia, Sta Ana, Pampanga.

Two other reported bystanders, but believed to be in the company of Umali, identified as Michelle del Castillo, 26 and Sophia Durante were hurt by stray bullets and treated at the Tigaon TAWO-Hospital.

Umali and Lapuz were declared "DOA" by doctors at the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) in Naga City.

Sources at the PPO police community relations office revealed that the shootout was a heated rivalry among jueteng lords in Camarines Sur.

Umali, a Batangueño is a known Small Town Lottery (STL) operator in nearby Camarines Norte and also linked to jueteng operations and virtual games in Albay and Sorsogon provinces.

Lapuz, in the meantime, is reportedly a henchman of another jueteng lord in Bikol.

Official police report bared that Umali was shot by three suspects among them was Lapuz, who in turn was hit when Umali returned fire from his Cal. 45 pistol despite being seriously wounded.

Lapuz's companions fled riding a motorbike leaving him behind.

Recovered by the police from the crime scene were 17 spent shells and 5 slugs all from Cal. 45 pistols, while a Cal. 45 pistol TM "Charles Daly" with SN: CDO -12576, believed to be owned by Umali was also recovered at the site of the shootout.

Meanwhile in neighboring Goa, Cam. Sur, the municipal health officer recommended the burial of a dead man found in barangay Catagbacan in this locality.

The dead victim, who was estimated to be about 40-years old and was 5'5" in height, was found naked with his hands tied with a pair of socks and his face covered with T-shirt; he sustained gunshot wounds on his right face and neck.

The PPO reported that the slain victim remained unidentified. (SONNY SALES)