BALUNGAO – Four persons are now facing criminal charges before the Regional Trial Court in Rosales town in connection with the killing of a lawyer and the wounding of his wife on Maundy Thursday in remote barangay Angayan in Balungao.

The Balungao police filed cases for murder and frustrated murder against Roger Ellorin, alias ‘Sition’, 23; Johnny Palpalatoc, alias “Oning’, 28; Bernie Castillo, alias ‘Amboy’, 46; and Quinto Alejandro, alias ‘Ross’.

The four are suspects in the slaying of Carlo Magno Uminga, 58, a legal practitioner and member of the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) in Balungao.

Uminga was a former National Bureau of Investigation agent who also served as chief of staff of then chairman and now Senator Ramon Revilla, Jr. in the Videogram Regulatory Board.
Uminga’s wife Rosa Isabel, 55, was wounded in the buttock.

The incident happened at the couple’s farm house which was sprayed with 43 bullets coming from 1.56 armalite rifle, and 10 bullets from a carbine by the suspects.

The couple and their children were already asleep when the gunmen opened fire. The children were unscathed.

All the four suspects were arrested Sunday by joint elements of the Balungao Police headed by Senior Inspector Jeff Fanged, and NBI Manila and Dagupan.

Palpalatoc admitted to the crime, executing an extra-judicial confession that it was he, his cousin Ellorin and their uncle Castillo who shot and killed Uminga and wounded the latter’s wife after receiving P50,000 from the mastermind whom he tagged as Alejandro alias ‘Ross’.

Alejandro may have plotted against Uminga after the latter refused to execute an affidavit of desistance to a case filed against him (Alejandro) for illegal possession of firearm after an amicable settlement was already agreed upon by the two of them.

No bail was recommended by the judge of RTC Branch 53 for the crime of murder. For the frustrated murder on Uminga’s wife, the judge however fixed their respective bail bonds at P200,00 each . (PNA)