Emigdio Aparece, Jr. one of the suspects in the murder of Buanavista Mayor Ronald “Sampol” Tirol and one of Bohol’s most wanted persons, was killed during a shootout with police operatives in Barangay Concepcion, Danao at dawn on Wednesday, according to a police official.
Aparece engaged operatives of the Bohol Provincial Police Office’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit and Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) in a gunfight at around 3:45 a.m. resulting in his killing, said BPPO director Angeles Geñorga in an initial report.
Aparece allegedly served as backup to Elmer “Eti” Melencion when the latter shot and killed Tirol inside a cockpit arena in Buenavista on May 27.
According to SPO3 Ramil Gumapac, officer-in-charge of the Danao police, an informant alerted police on the presence of a suspicious individual in the said village prompting the BPPO to deploy the composite team.
Aparece noticed the incoming police operatives and shot first. The officers then fired back resulting in the shootout and the death of Aparece, said Gumapac.
The suspect’s body was then transported to the Danao Police Station following the firefight.
Aparece, who has multiple standing arrest warrants for murder, was also tagged as suspect in the killing of SPO1 Alejandro Estorgio, barangay captain Antonio Neones Sr., barangay councilor Ursolo Petalcorin and at least seven other victims. All of the killings were carried out in Buenavista.
At least two operations have been conducted in the past against Aparece but he was able to escape after engaging pursuing police officers in brief gunfights.
Meanwhile, manhunt operations against two other suspects in Tirol’s killing including Melencion continued.