Quezon mayor's brother shot dead

BUENAVISTA, Quezon, Philippines – A lone gunman shot dead the elder brother of the municipal mayor at Barangay Cadlit, here on Monday evening.

The victim, identified as Federico Uri, 59, brother of Buenavista Mayor Remedios Uri- Rivera who suffered a fatal gunshot wound in the nape and another in the arm, died on the spot, said Quezon police director Senior Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona.

Sarona said Uri, who had just finished drinking (liquor) with friends was sitting at the terrace in front of his residence at around 7:20 p.m. when he was shot twice by the unidentified gunman.

The suspect immediately escaped and was already gone when responding policemen arrived in the crime scene.

Investigators recovered two spent shells and a slug for .45 caliber pistol.

Police are still looking on the possibility that the killing has something to do with business rivalry.

The Uri family owns the biggest mining firm in the town.

Late last year, two unidentified pistol-wielding men shot dead Eddie Alboro, 44, a mining firm owner and business rival of the Uris, inside his drugstore at Barangay Sampaguita, here.

Alboro was shot at close range at around 7 p.m. while the latter was inside his drugstore.

The victim suffered a fatal gunshot wound in the head and another in the chin killing him on the spot, police said.

The suspects quickly sped off using a red Honda motorcycle right after the shooting, they said.

Responding policemen recovered two spent shells for a .45 caliber pistol in the crime scene. Both killings were similar as observed by some police insiders. – Michelle Zoleta, Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta