CEBU, Philippines - A re-electionist for barangay chairman was gunned down in Barangay Bantayan of San Roque town in Northern Samar last Saturday evening, and a husband of an incumbent barangay chairman in Brgy. Anibongon of Jaro town in Leyte was also shot to death yesterday morning, minutes before the poll precincts opened.
The victim in Jaro, Leyte was identified as Pablo Volcan, who was declared dead on arrival at the hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds on his back. His companion, Romeo Añover, was also injured and is now being treated at a hospital in Tacloban City.
They were on their way to the school to vote when the shooting occurred, according to a report of the ABS-CBN News-Tacloban. The suspect in Volcan's killing was identified as Claudio Momo, husband of the opponent of the victim's wife.
In Northern Samar, the slain re-electionist for barangay chairman was identified as Santiago Limpiado, 57, who was shot dead at 6:30 p.m. Saturday while walking on his way home.
According to police reports, the victim's opponent, Gil Vargas Siervo, has been tagged as the primary suspect, but is now at large. Another suspect was Siervo's relative, who was a soldier of the 63rd Infantry Battalion based in Northern Samar.
Limpiado was declared dead on arrival at the Catarman Doctors Hospital, about 29 kilometers from San Roque or about four hours later. He was however able to give a statement to investigators and a councilman before he died.
Meanwhile, an incident of ballot snatching ware reported in Northern Samar yesterday morning, but Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr said the conduct of the barangay elections went generally smooth, said GMA7 news.
Brillantes said a ballot box for two precincts in Brgy. San Antonio in Catubig, Northern Samar, was snatched from the Board of Election Teller around 12 midnight. At least two precincts were affected by the incident.
At 7:15 a.m. yesterday, official ballot and other election paraphernalia for clustered precinct no. 20 was also reported to have been snatched. The precinct has 347 registered voters. The elections in Brgy. San Antonio started at around 12 noon with the use of improvised ballots.
There were also reports of vote buying in the run-up to yesterday's polls in Tacloban City and nearby towns in Samar and Leyte. Voters were reportedly given money, ranging from P20 to P100, to vote a certain candidate.
Some 8,900 persons are running for the position of barangay captain and another 63,749 for councilmen in Eastern Visayas this year. (FREEMAN)