Councilor's slay mars Bulacan fest

MALOLOS CITY – Violence marred Bulacan’s annual weeklong Singkaban Fiesta when a councilor of San Rafael town was gunned down in Baliuag town Tuesday night.

Senior Superintendent Allen Bantolo, acting provincial police director, said first-term councilor Fidel Nacion, 38, was seated on the driver seat of his Honda CRV parked along Cagayan Valley Road in Barangay Tibag, Baliuag when he was attacked.

Nacion died on the spot. Police investigators found eight empty M-16 shells at the crime scene.

Police ruled out misunderstanding as a possible motive, while others said the killing might involve a love triangle.

Lito Yulo, San Rafael municipal administrator, told The STAR that Nacion had no known enemies.

He said Nacion had just finished practicing bowling with his companions, including Vice Mayor Rino Castro, when he was killed.

Yulo said the group was preparing for a province-wide bowling tournament.

Nacion is the third politician who was killed in Bulacan since May when former Calumpit mayor Ramon Pagdanganan was killed. Last July 31, former Apalit, Pampanga mayor Tirso Lacanilao was gunned down in Calumpit town.

It is also the third time when violence marred the annual Singakaban Fiesta.

In 2004, workers at Oxford Garments in Marilao town suffered bruises when police broke into their picketline.

The workers later staged a rally in front of the provincial capitol building here to air their grievances, at the height of the Singkaban Festival celebration.

A week before that incident, at least five picnickers died at Biak-na-Bato River in San Miguel town due to a flash flood. – With Ric Sapnu