A figutive, said to be a former rebel who murdered a police officer two years ago, was killed after he allegedly resisted police arrest on Sunday in Barangay Baliok, Talomo District.
Major Ricky Obenza, the commander of Tugbok Police Station, identified the fatality as Benjie Martos Clarion, alias Longlong, in his late 20’s, single and resident of Sitio Battalion, Barangay New Carmen, Tugbok District. Clarion was said to be a member of the Pulang Bagani Command 1 of the New People’s Army (NPA) named Ka JB.
He was tagged as one of the assailants who killed Police Officer 2 Wilfredo Garol of Baguio Police Station on Nov. 13, 2017.
Obenza said they conducted surveillance and monitoring operation in Baliok after they received information that Clarion was in the area. He was reportedly working as a sub-contrator of a Deca Homes project in Baliok.
After confirming the report, operatives then secured the warrant of arrest on the murder case issued by Judge Evalyn Arellano-Morales of Branch 17 of Regional Trial Court XI.
The Tugbok Police Station led by Obenza and the Presidential Anti-Organize Crime Commission (PAOCC) led by Major Alvin Senente served the warrant in his den at Lot 17, Block 35 of Rosalina 3, in Baliok around 10:25 a.m. on Sunday.
Obenza said Clarion opted to resist the arresting officers. He allegedly drew his firearm and fired toward one of the operatives, identified as S/Sgt. Erick Nabuya.
Nabuya, surviving a bullet in his chest as he was wearing a bulletproof vest, returned fire.
The fugitive was hit in the different parts of his body, resulting to his immediate death.
Scene of the Crime Operative (SOCO) agents recovered two guns –
a .38 revolver with three live bullets and one fired cartridge and an improvised 9mm with two magazines with 15 bullets – at the crime scene.
A MK2 fragmentation hand grenade was also found in the suspect’s bag. Six sachets of shabu and cash amounting to P670 in different denomination were also recovered.
Obenza said Clarion was listed as No. 1 most wanted person in his station.
The station commander said Clarion worked under the team of Kumander Parago (real name: Leoncio Pitao), the slain NPA commander who was given a hero’s burial in the city in 2015.
Around 7:40 a.m. of Nov. 13, 2017, Clarion and his cousin, only identified as Along, hitchhiked in the motorcycle driven by Garol, 34, and resident of Rubber Village in Calinan.
After arriving at their destination, the suspects then gunned down Garol. The fallen officer sustained multiple gunshot wounds in the different parts of his body, resulting to his immediate death.
Before the incident, the victim transported his wife, a teacher, to the school.
