State auditor gunned down

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines– A female state auditor in Basilan was gunned down on Thursday night by motorcycle-riding men in an intersection here, police said.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, city police director, said the victim, Ester Pierra-Galaroza, 54, state auditor III assigned with Isabela City and the Basilan State College, arrived in this city on Thursday afternoon with a companion, Renella Avella, and reported to the Commission on Audit regional office to get her service car.

Investigation showed that Galaroza was driving her car with her daughter and Avella on their way home when the still unidentified men fired at her several times at the busy intersection of Gov. Camins and Veterans Avenue in Sitio Sta. Cruz at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Policemen assigned nearby responded but the gunmen escaped along the busy thoroughfare.

Galaroza was rushed to the Zamboanga City Medical Center but died while undergoing treatment. Her daughter and companion were unharmed.

Casimiro said the Special Task Group “Katarungan” (Justice) was immediately activated to speed up the investigation into the killing of Galaroza, the second state auditor killed in a gun attack in this city in seven years. Motorcycle-riding men shot dead lawyer Vilma Agias in 2007.

Casimiro said the task group has tapped the National Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Region 9, and the regional police crime laboratory to help resolve the case.

Police authorities believe that Galaroza’s killing could be work-related, but did not discount other possible motives. 

“That’s one of the motives we are looking into,” Casimiro said, adding that Galaroza had come from Isabela City to conduct an auditing report.

He said probers suspect that the attackers were guns-for-hire.

Casimiro said Galaroza’s attackers were caught on closed-circuit television camera tailing her car at the pier and escaping after the shooting.

“We have a better chance of identifying the suspects that will help us identify the mastermind of the crime,” Casimiro said.

Isabela City Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar condemned the killing and vowed to cooperate in the investigation. 

“The local government of Isabela City supports and appeals to the authorities to make a thorough investigation into the incident, and hopes that justice prevails at the soonest possible time,” Santos-Akbar said in a statement.