Former Anakpawis leader shot to death at Tacloban City public market

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA Samar)
July 21, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte   –   Tacloban City woke up yesterday morning with the news of a shooting incident at the Tacloban City Public Market killing a certain Rogelio Pikoy y Bersola, 50 years of age, described as a former chairman of Anakpawis and KADAMAY leader and who is now a member of Guardian Brotherhood.

Report from the responding Policemen said that Pikoy, who is from the Pericohon District this City and whose occupation is selling cooked food to the Carnival laborers at Rimas Colon, was at 5:30 in the morning, choosing fish displayed at the pathway beside the main fish section of the Tacloban City Super Market, when he was shot from behind by one of the suspects while the other three were acting as look outs.

Pikoy was hit at the lower right side at the back of his head exiting through his right eye. The stray bullet in the process, then hit the lower abdomen of the vendor nearby, Teresita Tadera y Borines, 70 years old and a resident of Barangay Calvary Hill, Serin, Tacloban City.

The PNP members at the PNP Public Market Substation immediately responded upon hearing the gunshot but since the people scampered, they couldn’t identify the culprits who were alleged to have fled towards Annex B of the Tacloban City Supermarket.

The victims were immediately brought to the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center where Pikoy was pronounced Dead on Arrival by the attending physician and Tadera was given proper medical attention.

Pikoy’s wife who was interviewed by the reporters of a local radio station right after the early morning shooting, in between tears said that her husband has been receiving threats. She said that she knows the perpetrators and in between sobs she bewailed “after my husband served you… and helped you… this is what you will do to him…”

Tacloban Police Chief Col. Cleve Taboso assured the public that the Philippine National Police is already conducting investigation on the case. He said that there are several witnesses but the Police have yet to convince them to give information. For sure, the vendor who was hit by the stray bullet has something to say, Col. Taboso said.

Col. Taboso also allayed the fears of the City residents saying that the shooting incidents are just rare and remote cases. He also called on those who know or have witnessed the shooting incident to come out in the open and help solve the case so that the perpetrators will not be able to do the same again.