Third such incident since February Councilwoman dead in ambush

CEBU, Philippines - A councilwoman was killed while her barangay captain was wounded after they were ambushed by three unidentified men on a motorcycle in Barangay Carmen, Toledo City last Monday afternoon.

The fatality was identified as Irene Wamilda, 28, while her companion was Barangay Captain Alexander Alqueza, of  Barangay Capt. Claudio, Toledo City, who was driving a multicab with license plate numbers KFA 452 when the incident happened.

Police said that the two were heading back to Capt. Claudio when three unidentified men riding a red motorcycle drove up alongside them and started shooting. Witnesses say that the driver and the third man on the bike were wearing helmets while man in between them wasn't.  

Police said that the third man shot the victims several times. Alqueza, a retired policeman, suffered gunshot wounds in his back, left ear and chest. Wamilda only suffered one gunshot wound to her left shoulder, however, the slug went through to enter the left side of her torso. There were no signs of an exit wound.

The two earlier picked up pupils who asked to hitch a ride. None of their passengers were harmed in the attack.

The assailants immediately fled while the victims were rushed to a hospital in Toledo City, Wamilda did not arrive alive. Police recovered four empty shells believed to be from a .45 cal. pistol from the crime scene.

Alqueza was later transferred to a hospital in Cebu City for further medical treatment.

Desk officer PO3 Salvador Samillano said they received information that Alqueza is now in stable condition.

Cebu Provincial Police Office chief Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac said although this is the third shooting incident involving prominent persons in the province recently, he said that still he does not consider this alarming.

Lawyer Noel Archival was shot dead in another ambush in Dalaguete town last month while moneylender Cecille Villafuerte was shot dead while driving home on her motorcycle in Argao town last February 28.

Provincial intelligence chief Supt. Rodolfo Albotra assured that he has enough capable men to investigate the cases.

Meanwhile, third district Provincial Board Member Grecilda Sanchez yesterday urged authorities to speed up the investigation of the ambush in Toledo City.

"Paspasan nila. Duha kabuok gud. Kinahanglan naa'y thorough investigation. Adto ko (to ask) unsay gibuhat nila for the last 24 hours. Diha ta magbase sa kapaspason sa atong action within the next 24 hours. Molapas na gani, daghan na'ng mahitabo," said Sanchez before she left for Toledo City to visit the wake of  Wamilda.  — with Liv G. Campo and Michael H. Braga/BRP (FREEMAN)