Village chief survives, nephew dies in ambush

CALINOG, ILOILO, Philippines — A barangay chairman cheated death after at least five persons opened fire at him yesterday morning in Barangay Tabucan, some five kilometers from the central part of this town.

But while Eustaquio Porras, 42, of Brgy. Lonoy in this town, survived, his nephew, 25-year-old Mikmay Lemana of Brgy. Cabunlawan in Lambunao town, was killed.

Lemana succumbed to multiple gunshot injuries on the different parts of his body. The police recovered from the crime scene empty shells of a 12-gauge shotgun, a .38-caliber revolver, and .45-caliber pistol.

Police reports said Porras was riding a motorcycle driven by Lemana on their way to the town proper when gunmen waylaid them in a forested portion of Tabucan. Porras told investigators he immediately saw the men coming out from their position.

“He (Porras) allegedly pushed Lemana off while he jumped off the motorcycle,” said Chief Insp. Rogelio Ortigas, chief of the Calinog Police.

Porras rolled on the pavement, pulled his handgun, and then returned fire, while the assailants ran after him.

Aside from the gunmen, there were two lookouts, identified by Porras as Hermie Cataluña and Dondon Dote, his constituents in Lonoy.

A manhunt operation was immediately conducted against the suspects but they were not arrested.

Ortigas said the incident could not be considered an election-related violence even if Porras is a barangay official. “The probable motive is vengeance,” he added.

Almost a month ago, Porras, Lemana, and three others were charged for frustrated murder following the slay attempt on a certain Noel Insular.  (FREEMAN)