Posted on 01/16/2005 2:09:25 PM PST by TexKat
MANILA (Reuters) - At least seven people, including the police chief of the province of Aklan, were killed and 30 wounded on Sunday when a gunman opened fire at a religious festival in the central Philippines, police authorities said.
The "Ati-atihan" festival in honor of Santo Nino, one of the most revered Roman Catholic icons in the Philippines, was stopped, turning merrymaking into mourning for the victims.
"We're still investigating the motive for the violent shooting," said Edgardo Aglipay, the national police chief.
"We're checking reports that this incident was drug-related, but we can't discount other angles."
He said the provincial police chief was walking toward the municipal building after attending mass when a gunman opened fire at his group, sending hundreds scampering for safety.
The shooting began during a fireworks display to start the festival in Kalibo town, a gateway to the Boracay Island resort.
The festival commemorating the conversion of pagan natives to Catholicism in the 16th century is known for street dancing by people smeared with charcoal, wearing grass skirts and carrying wooden spears.
Filipino men carry a victim of shooting incident in the town of Kalibo in the Aklan province in central Philippines January 16,2005. The Ati-atihan festival,a popular tourist attraction, was stopped by the shooting, which killed seven people and wounded 33 others. REUTERS/Stringer
TROP?
"Let's not argue and bicker about who killed whom. This is a HAPPY occassion!"
Wasn't this the festival that a Muslim group was planning to bomb? I think the plot was broken up last week, IIRC.
I've been looking around but can't find the article - didn't the police just break up a Muslim plot to carry out a bombing at this Catholic celebration? I don't know if it was in this particular town or not, but I'm pretty sure the plot was discovered last week, and arrests were made.
I bet a million dollars it was an attack by islamofacists.
In this case the shooter was one of the bodyguards of the police chief, and the Santo Nino celebration was being held in Boracay, which is a resort area on an island that is about 1 hour's flight from Manila. When other cops came, the bodyguard shot them too.
see post #7. I am in Manila (currently) and the local paper has more detail.
What's a Catholic street festival without a little gunplay?
Thanks ikka. Any word on why the bodyguard began shooting? Please keep us updated.
Thank you for the information! Please keep us updated, if you have a moment.
By Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre and Mario J. Mallari
Monday, 01 17, 2005
A shooting that began during a fireworks display to kick off an annual parade in the town of Kalibo, Aklan, left at least seven persons, including two ranking police officers, dead and more than 30 injured when a security aide of the provincial police director ran amuck yesterday.
The town's Ati-atihan festival in honor of the patron saint Sto. Niño, one of the most revered Roman Catholic icons in the country, was stopped, turning merrymaking into mourning for the victims.
Based on initial investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the perpetrator, PO1 Jonathan Moreno, fired shots, killing acting Aklan provincial police director Odelardo Magayanes, Kalibo PNP chief Maj. Manuel Ilejay Jr. and three other policemen in the attack.
According to reports, Moreno first shot Magayanes in the back while the colonel was about to board his vehicle, some 20 meters away from the Kalibo municipal police station.
It immediately caused a stampede among thousands of revelers.
Magayanes' security escort, identified as POI Juan Gorion, was also gunned down by the suspect, who himself was a bodyguard of the fallen officer.
Hearing the bursts of gunfire, Ilejay went out of the station to check it but was also fatally shot by the suspect.
Moreno also shot dead other colleagues identified as PO3 Joselito Tablos and another policeman who remained unidentified.
A 10-year-old girl identified as Juvelyn Cuales was also killed during the strafing incident, which lasted for about three minutes.
Amok kills 5 fellow cops Girl fatally hit during 'Ati-atihan' celebration
January 17, 2005
BY VICTOR REYES
The director of the Aklan provincial police, the chief of the Kalibo town police, four other policemen, and an 11-year-old girl were killed in Kalibo, Aklan yesterday after a security escort of the director went berserk.
At least 29 others were injured in the incident which occurred at 8:15 a.m. at a packed plaza between the police station and the Sto. Niño church in Kalibo, during celebrations of the "Ati-atihan" festival in honor of the Santo Niño.
The gunman, PO1 Jonathan Moreño, was among security aides of slain Senior Supt. Odelardo Magayanes, Aklan police director. He was killed by responding policemen.
Also killed were Chief Insp. Manuel Ilejay, Kalibo town police chief, and Magayanes' two other security escorts, PO1 Juan Gorion and PO1 Joselito Tablos.
PNP chief Edgardo Aglipay, who flew to Aklan, said that based on initial investigations, Magayanes was about to board his car after attending mass when Moreño fired from behind, hitting Magayanes, Gorion, and an unnamed policeman-driver. (Radio reports said a PO1 Topong was among the casualties).
Magayanes died on arrival at the St. Gabriel Hospital from multiple gunshot wounds in the back.
After the initial shots, an unidentified security escort ran to the police station for assistance.
Ilejay responded and was also shot by Moreño.
Ilejay died at the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital from three shots in the chest.
As Moreño was making his escape, another group of policemen blocked his path. Instead of yielding, Moreño opened fire, killing Tablos and the unidentified girl.
The policemen returned fire and killed Moreño.
Among the injured was broadcaster Conrad Indelible of dyKR radio.
Aglipay said Magayanes' other security escorts reported that Moreño appeared distracted since Saturday night and did not take breakfast yesterday.
"He was disturbed, that's part of their observation," he said.
Aglipay said Moreño was a primary witness against the No. 1 drug lord in the Visayas identified only as Cuadra "and apparently the family (of Moreño) is being pressured."
"Maybe that's one of the reasons why he lost his sanity," he said.
"It was an isolated incident. We hope the people will understand that these things do happen even in big organizations,' he added.
Kalibo Mayor Raymar Rebaldo said peace and order has been restored.
"The situation is now under control. In fact General Aglipay and General (George) Aliño are here (in Kalibo) to oversee the peace and order," he said in a phone interview.
Aliño is the regional police director.
"This is the first time in our history," Rebaldo said of the incident, supporting the pronouncements of Aglipay and other police officials that it was an isolated case.
Despite the incident, the celebrations continued, with Aglipay joining other local government officials at the plaza.
The Ati-atihan is one of the country's biggest celebrations, with torch and candle processions, fluvial and street parades, dancing, and merrymaking. (With Al Jacinto)
33 others injured as policeman rampages at height of Kalibo festival
Revelry turned into bloodshed as policemen exchanged fire at the height of the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan, Sunday, leaving seven people dead and 33 injured.
Police officials said the incident took place at about 8 a.m. in the town plaza just outside the church.
The plaza was packed with revelers participating in the Ati-Atihan parade that celebrates the feast of the Santo Niño, Kalibo’s patron saint.
The festival attracts thousands of tourists and merrymakers and has never been marred by bloodshed.
Aklan provincial police Chief Supt. Odelardo Magallanes was just leaving the church after attending the Mass when his bodyguard, Jonathan Moreño, suddenly shot and killed him and another guard, the Western Visayas police director, Chief Supt. George Alino, said.
Kalibo policemen rushed to the scene, and Moreño fatally shot Kalibo’s police chief, Chief Insp. Manuel Elijay Jr., before being gunned down.
Nine people were injured in the crossfire, and scores more were hurt in the mad dash for cover.
DZBB radio reported from the scene that at least seven people, including an 11-year-old girl, were killed. Police, however, couldn’t confirm those figures.
It was not clear what prompted Moreno to go on the rampage, but his colleagues said he had seemed troubled since Saturday, Alino said.
The Philippine National Police chief, Director General Edgardo Aglipay Jr., who was traveling to Kalibo, said initial reports showed “there was a misunderstanding between one of our policemen and the [police] provincial director.”
Magallanes died while being treated at the Kalibo Mission Hospital.
Elijay died at the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital while being treated for three gunshot wounds in the chest.
Also killed were two policemen, Police Officer l Topong and Police Officer l Burrion, and a 10-year-old girl who was hit by stray bullet.
The reports said Magallanes and his escorts were on their way to the town police station on Pastrana Street after attending Mass at the Kalibo Cathedral.
Police Officer 1 Nida Grega, a member of the Kalibo police, said several civilians were injured after they were hit by stray bullets.
--AP, AFP and Anthony Vargas
>>Police Officer 1 Nida Grega, a member of the Kalibo police, said several civilians were injured after they were hit by stray bullets.<<
Does 25 sound about right, "several".
Thanks. It sounds like just a plain ordinary crime - sometimes it's hard to remember that things unconnected to terrorism still exist...
Thank you TexKat...
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