Abra village chief gunned down

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya Philippines  – Another killing incident marred Cordillera’s northwestern Abra province the other day.

This, as Army reports showed yesterday that an Abra village head was shot dead by still unknown suspects riding in tandem aboard a motorcycle in the province’s capital of Bangued late Friday afternoon. 

The Isabela-based Army’s 5th Infantry Division, whose jurisdiction covers Abra identified the victim as Loreto Barbosa, chairman of Barangay Taping village in remote Dolores town who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds from a .45 caliber pistol.

Barbosa, the report said, was waiting inside his jeep for his son who went to a nearby photo developing shop in downtown Bangued when the suspects passed by and shot him several times around 4 p.m. the other day, killing him instantly. 

The victim’s companions, Perical Benedito, 13, of Divine World College of Bangued, Helen Bisquera, 38, councilwoman of Dolores town’s Barangay Pakak; and Jocelyn Masaoay, 21, of Barangay Namarabar in Bangued were also injured from the incident. 

The Army said Benedito is still in unstable condition due to a gunshot wound on the right temple at the Seares Hospital while Bisquera and Masaoay are now recuperating at the Abra Provincial Hospital, also in the capital town.

Authorities are still investigating the case as to its suspects and their motives.

Friday’s incident was the latest of series of killings of local and barangay officials that marred the province in recent years.