Abra violence escalates: Driver killed, barangay captain ambushed

A man was declared dead-on-arrival at the hospital after an unidentified gunman shot him three times in the evening of 25 March 2025 at Turod, Barangay Zone 3, Bangued, Abra.

The victim was identified as Juanito Limis Gammong, 58, married, unemployed, and a resident of Barangay Dangdangla, Bangued. He was temporarily staying in Turod, Zone 3, at the time of the incident.

The shooting occurred shortly after 7:00 PM and was reported to the police by 7:20 PM on the same day.

Initial police investigation revealed that Gammong was on his way to the house where he was staying to rest when the still unidentified suspect followed him and fired three shots before fleeing in an unknown direction.

Gammong sustained three gunshot wounds: one entered through the nape and exited through the forehead, another entered the right clavicle and exited the right scapula, and a third went through the abdomen and exited through the posterior right chest. He was rushed to the Abra Provincial Hospital by Bangued police but was declared dead on arrival.

The Abra Provincial Forensic Unit recovered two fired cartridge cases and one deformed fired bullet, all from a .45 caliber firearm. Police said a manhunt operation is ongoing, with all municipal police stations, mobile forces, and intelligence units placed on alert and directed to conduct checkpoints and dragnet operations to identify and arrest the suspect or suspects.

In a social media post, Joy Bernos — who is running for vice governor of Abra — revealed that the victim was the driver of her party mate, Team ASENSO’s Lenin Benwaren, a candidate for mayor of Tineg.

Meanwhile, Barangay Bañacao Captain Dennis Billedo was injured in an ambush on the morning of 26 March 2025 in Sitio Calumbitin, San Antonio, Bangued.

According to the initial investigation, Billedo was on his way home in a car with four companions when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen from an elevated position.

Personnel from the Abra Provincial Forensic Unit are currently processing the crime scene.