Samar exec, wife survive attack

TACLOBAN CITY – The vice mayor of Motiong, Samar and his wife cheated death while their driver was killed when they were ambushed while on their way to grace an occasion in a remote village in the neighboring town of Paranas last Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Vice Mayor Francisco Langi Sr. sustained a gunshot wound in the right shoulder, while his wife sustained injuries when their motorcycle overturned.

They were rushed to the Samar provincial hospital in Catbalogan for initial treatment, but were later transferred to a private hospital in this city.

Their driver, identified as Jessie Dacanay, was pronounced dead on arrival at the provincial hospital, said Chief Superintendent Eliseo de la Paz, Eastern Visayas police director.

Senior Superintendent Asdali Abah, Samar police director, said the three were en route to a party in Paranas when they were waylaid along the national highway in Barangay Lokilokon, Motiong town.

Langi, who is on his third and last term as vice mayor, is reportedly planning to seek the mayorship, pitting himself against the incumbent mayor.

De la Paz ordered the local police to investigate this latest attempt to kill an elected official in Samar.

Abah said they are exploring all possible motives in the attack, including politics and the involvement of the New People’s Army.

"We will conduct a deeper investigation and enforce the full force of the law in ensuring security in Samar," De la Paz said.

"We will also strengthen checkpoints and fully enforce the gun ban to deter the spread of violence in the region, especially now that the elections are near," he added.

The ambush is the eighth in Samar in the run-up to the May elections.