Barangay chairman gunned down in Calinog, Iloilo

ILOILO City, Philippines — A barangay chairman was gunned down while riding a motorcycle with his driver at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Calinog town in Iloilo.

Police identified the victim as Eustaquio Porras, 49, of Barangay Lonoy in Calinog, who reportedly sustained gunshot wounds on his chest and was declared dead on arrival at the Calinog District Hospital.

Senior Inspector Jose Nemias Pamplona, Calinog Police chief, said Porras was riding a motorcycle with his driver, Edmund Casten, when they were fired upon by riding-in-tandem men upon reaching the intersection of Carvasana village.

Pamplona said Porras and Casten came from a meeting of barangay chairmen at the Calinog town proper and were on their way home when the incident happened. The two motorcycle-riding gunmen apparently hid and waited for Porras to pass by.

Police have recovered from the crime scene empty shells of bullets from a .45-caliber and a 9-mm pistol.

Reports said Porras was able to fire back , but it was not known yet if he hit any of his two assailants. "We are still trying to link testimonies and evidences to determine the motive and suspects in the killing," Pamplona added.

For now, police investigators have two persons of interest but Pamplona refused to elaborate further.