Abra doctor, wife killed in La Union ambush

BAUANG, La Union, Philippines – A doctor from Bangued, Abra and his wife were killed in an ambush by two motorcycle-riding men in Barangay Acao here Wednesday night, police said.

Chief Inspector Reynaldo Lizardo, Bauang police chief, said the victims, Dr. Mario Valera, 50, and his wife, Viana, 48, were cruising a barangay road toward the national highway on board a Mitsubishi Montero when they were waylaid at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said the Valeras had just brought a grandchild to a relative’s house in the village.

Sources said the Valeras, who owned a private hospital in Abra, was temporarily residing at a rented apartment in this town.

Police found several empty shells from a .38-caliber revolver at the crime scene. – Teddy Molina, Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao