Blood flows in Malabon

With just several hours remaining before the election campaign period was to have ended yesterday, five unidentified gunmen, believed to be hired killers, barged into the Lakas campaign headquarters and shot dead the secretary and political strategist of acting Malabon City Mayor Mark Allan Jay Yambao as he lay asleep.

It was the first major election-related incident to take place in Metro Manila since the official start of the election period last April. The National Capital Region Police Office had hoped to maintain a violence-free campaign and electoral exercise for the metropolis.

Senior Superintendent Freddie Panen said the victim, Hernando Dabalus, 60, also a former municipal administrator, later secretary of the city council and Yambao’s overall campaign manager, died on the spot. Wounded in the same attack was Conrado Meneses, 59, single, security management staff, of 14-C Arellano street, San Agustin, Malabon City. He was taken to the Pagamutang Bayan ng Malabon, and later to the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital for gunshot wounds in the buttocks.

Dabalus sustained two bullet wounds in the forehead, both fatal, said Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) team leader Senior Inspector Domingo Alminana. He said they found three empty shells and a deformed slug from caliber .45 pistols at the crime scene.

Yambao has condemned the killing even as he quickly sought to put Malabon City under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the light of Dabalus’ murder to prevent further violence.

Later in the afternoon, the poll body released a list of cities and provinces under its control. It included Cavite and Malabon.

"We condemn this dastardly act in the strongest possible terms even as we ask our followers to remain calm in the face of this treachery. This is without doubt a desperate move by our political opponents already facing imminent defeat," Yambao said. He also asked the people of the city not to give their votes to the perpetrators he called "hoodlum politicians."

Initial investigation showed at around 6:50 a.m. yesterday, five men came looking for Dabalus at the Lakas-CMD headquarters on Rizal Avenue, Interior San Agustin, Malabon City. Meneses then asked the strangers what they were looking for. At this point, the suspects allegedly drew their handguns, one of them firing at Meneses who was hit in the buttocks and ordered the other sleeping staff, who were awakened by the gunfire, to lie face down on the floor. The other four suspects then proceeded to the office where Dabalus had been sleeping in a folding bed since the campaign started. One of them serving as lookout, stood by the door. Seconds later, several gunshots were heard. The suspects made good their escape.

Northern Police District Office (NPDO) director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation of the killing. – With Pete Laude