Probe on killing of city hall employee ordered

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan ordered the Baguio City Police Office to hasten investigation that led to  untimely death of a trusted and responsible maintenance crew of the City Engineering Office, who was allegedly hit by a stray bullet during a shootout between anti-drug operatives and their high value target along Military Cut-off road  late January.

The mayor expressed condolences of city officials and employees to the bereaved family and relatives of said employee who had rendered 36 years of his life in service to the people of the city.

“We will surely extend the appropriate assistance to the bereaved family of the victim of the unfortunate incident that resulted in the untimely death of one of the trusted maintenance crew of the City Engineering Office. We need to look into the circumstances of the incident so that we will be able to know those responsible for his death to make them answer for their actions,” Domogan said.

Domogan said it was unfortunate that an innocent civilian was caught in the crossfire during a shootout that transpired between anti-narcotics operatives and their target.

Miguel Delinela, 57, married, maintenance crew of the Engineering Office and a resident of City Camp, here , with his co-employees, was seated at the back of the government vehicle after coming from Mines View where they had an inspection of street lighting fixtures in the area and were reported en route to their office.

Upon reaching Military Cut-off rotunda, their vehicle stopped after noticing that a gunfight was going on between police and their supposed target.

However, the victim’s companions did not know that he was already hit by a stray bullet on his forehead and their vehicle proceeded to their office in City Camp.

One of his co-employees opened the rear door of their vehicle to allow the victim to go out but he was surprised to see him bloodied.

Delinela was rushed then to Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center but later expired while under treatment because of lone gunshot wound that hit his forehead and exited on the back of his head.

Police arrested their target, Michael Canara, 38 a resident of Honeymoon Road and his 20-year old girlfriend, during a brief chase along Loakan road and confiscated over a dozen sachets of shabu and several sachets of dried marijuana leaves.

Canara and his girlfriend, resident of DPS Compound, and confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to Baguio City Police Office for documentation and filing of charges before the city prosecutor’s office.