• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A former barangay councilman was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in Barangay San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental on Wednesday (Sept. 3).
Initial police investigation showed the victim identified only by the police as alias “Pablo,” 54, had a brief conversation with the gunman, who shot him several times outside his home in Hacienda Cabayao.
After shooting the victim, the gunman entered the house of the former barangay official and threatened his family members before fleeing towards a mountainous area, according to the Manapla police.
Investigators recovered from the scene of the incident 10 bullet shells and a live ammunition of caliber .45 pistol.
Witnesses said the gunman pretended to be looking for a lost carabao while asking for the location of the house of the victim.
PLt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office- Negros Island Region, said they are still investigating if the shooting incident was insurgency-related considering the remote location of the area, which used to be a bailiwick of the New People’s Army. | GB
