Councilor shot dead

CEBU, Philippines - A councilman was killed while his companion was injured after they were shot by two men on board a motorcycle in Barangay Polog, Consolacion town Thursday afternoon.

Rey Balaba, 50, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in the abdomen and forearm. He was rushed to the North General Hospital in Talamban, Cebu City for treatment but he died after four hours of struggle.

Balaba was a barangay captain for three terms and was elected as barangay councilor last October election. He was also a supervisor of Norkis motors.

Injured was Henry Capao, neighbor of Balaba who was around during the shooting incident. He suffered minor burns in his abdomen. He was also given first aid treatment at the same hospital.

Balaba, Capao and another neighbor, Pedrito Padayugdug, were talking outside the house near the store of the victim along the road when assailants on board a Honda Wave motorcycle with “for registration” plate arrived.

The man in pillion then shot at the victim several times which also injured Capao.

It was only Padayugdug who immediately ran to conceal.

Padayugdug and Capao only described the assailants as small and faces covered with shirts.

Police recovered six empty shells believed to be of the .45 pistol and four slugs.

PO3 Arthur Ariate, investigator, said they could not yet ruled out that the incident was politically motivated but possibly more on personal grudge.

“Ingon ang asawa nga duna ni bingkil sa pag-umangkon kay gikuha kuno ang DT nga motor ani unya data-datahan lang kuno pero hangtod ron wala gihapon bayri pero dugay na man pud to,” Ariate said in a phone interview.

Ariate added they could not stick on such information as it happened a year ago.

Police suspected that gunmen were from the area as they were hiding their identities.

“Possible gun-for-hire pero kaila ra sa taga-diha kay nagtap-tap man,” Ariate said, adding that they invited a person yesterday for questioning.

The Provincial Intelligence Branch is now assisting the Consolacion police in the investigation for the possible identification and arrest of the assailants.—/GMR (FREEMAN)