Mayor Roble supporters attacked by 8 gunmen

HILONGOS, LEYTE , Philippines  â€” A businesswoman and her visitors, all supporters of re-electionist Mayor Jose Emery Roble of this town, were attacked by at least eight men who strafed her house at Brgy. Cantandog II at around midnight of April 30.

The police identified the victim as Leonora Macuto Gotardo, who escaped unhurt by quickly docking on the ground and taking cover from the bursts of gunfire. Her visitors also took cover and were unhurt.

Gotardo was having a meeting in her house with some unnamed visitors (supporters of the mayor) when the assailants, all armed with long firearms, arrived and disembarked from a black Adventure car and strafed her place with bullets.

Shortly after, Gotardo managed to call the Hilongos Police who immediately responded to the scene but the assailants had already left the scene.

Gotardo, in a police blotter, narrated that, after the attack, she allegedly saw Barangay Chairman Romeo Fermano talking to one of the gunmen, some of whom she said were Hilongosnons and the rest were outsiders. She further alleged that the barangay official was known to be an ally of mayoralty candidate Albert Villahermosa.

Senior Insp. Shevert Alvin Ligutan Machete, OIC chief of the Hilongos Police, said investigation is still going on based on the accounts of Gotardo and some witnesses, but he has yet to confirm if it was election-related.

Roble, for his part, did not issue any statement yet on the incident but had asked the police to conduct a swift investigation that would determine the identities of the assailants and the motive behind the strafing.  (FREEMAN)