Armed men in fatigues kill Samar youth leader

TACLOBAN CITY — A 24-year-old female leader of a Samar politician was gunned down by seven heavily armed men in fatigue uniforms in Sta. Margarita town Wednesday night, several hours after five persons, including the wife of a re-electionist councilor of Calbayog City, were killed.

The victim, Charita Casalhay Ortiz, a youth leader of a Sta. Margarita candidate, died from several bullet wounds, according to Inspector Carlos Vencio, operations officer of the Samar police.

Vencio said Ortiz’s companion, a certain Pepito Catalan, a relative of a Samar politician, escaped unharmed in the 7 p.m. attack in Barangay Cinco.

Police said Catalan, who faces a pending arrest warrant for murder, disappeared shortly before lawmen arrived at the scene.

Vencio hinted that Ortiz’s killing could be linked to the fatal ambush of Rose Tamidles, wife of Calbayog councilor Nestor Tamidles, and four supporters at about 8 a.m. that same day in the city’s Tinambacan district.

The councilor himself and eight others were wounded in the attack.

"We are now looking into (the details of) the ambush considering that the scene is very near," he said.

The Tamidleses and their supporters were reportedly backing the candidacy of Rep. Rodolfo Tuazon for Calbayog mayor. Tuazon’s wife is running for Congress.

Sta. Margarita town is only a kilometer away from Calbayog City, and is part of Samar’s first congressional district.

Adolfo Ibañez, Eastern Visayas director of the Commission on Elections, said he is awaiting the recommendations of the police and military to possibly place the first district under Comelec control in view of the violent incidents.

Besides Sta. Margarita, the first district is comprised of Calbayog City and the towns of Gandara, Matuguinao, San Jorge, Pagsanjan, Tarangnan, Sto. Niño, Almagro and Tagapulan.