The News Today Online Edition - Iloilo News and Panay News

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2 dead, 1 injured as soldiers face-off in beerhouse joint

Two active members of the elite Philippine Marines and a former associate turned into murder suspects following Wednesday's killing in Dingle, Iloilo. Two have thus far surrendered to authorities hours after the incident – former Marine Victor Principe and Staff Sergeant Joel Dabi – while SSgt. Alquin Cerezo remain confined for the gunshot wounds he sustained.

The trio figured in a shoot-out in an isolated beerhouse cum videoke joint in Sitio Carasan, Barangay Abangay of said town leaving Philippine Army's Technical Sgt. Erwin Oral and Army intelligence asset Rolex Balnes dead on the spot.

With the motive remains still unclear as of press time, the shooting occurred about an hour into the two group's drinking spree inside the joint.  It was not immediately clear who started the commotion but within seconds after the first shots were fired, the battle-tested Oral and longtime Army asset Balnes laid lifeless and bloodied within each other.

Radio reports disclosed witness accounts of the ensuing minutes where the Marine soldiers and others in the area rushed the injured Cerezo to the hospital.  Principe and Dabi yielded to a barangay captain a little over midnight Thursday.

“On our part, we consider the case solved,” Senior Supt. Efren Quintos, Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) Director told The News Today . “And we have the situation in Dingle under control.  Wala na dira dampigan ang pulis (The police will not take any sides) and there is no need to augment our present forces there.”

Concerns have been raised on the possible tension Wednesday's shoot-out may bring particularly since the slain army soldier's unit is based in Camp Hernandez, Dingle and the Marines residents of the area.

“This is one unfortunate incident but we want to clarify that this is not a fight between the Marines and the Philippine Army...this is a personal fight between those involved and so we want to assure the public that our Army soldiers remain in their professional state and we will follow the course of investigation,” Major Lyndon Sollesta of the Philippine Army's 3 rd Infantry Division said over Bombo Radyo.

Oral and Balnes were in the company of known Barangay Abangay locals including the sister of the town vice mayor.  It was learned that an invitation was also made to Oral's superior, Captain Mon Lachica of the Task Force Panay to join the group but the army captain refused.

In an interview with same radio station, Capt. Lachica confirmed Balnes' affiliation with Task Force Panay and added that he last made contact with his fallen soldier a day before the killing.  Oral is credited for his intelligence efforts covering the Eastern and Central fronts of communist insurgents in Tapaz, Dumarao, Capiz and the Calinog areas.