Ambush in Calbayog City, Samar: Ex-village chair, neighbor killed; wife, son, 4, injured

CEBU, Philippines - Two men, riding-in-tandem, ambushed and killed on-the-spot 40-year-old Fernando Ygrubay, a former barangay chairman of Cabicahan in Oquendo district of Calbayog City in Samar and his neighbor Michael Catalan, along the highway in Barangay Capoocan Sunday morning.

Superintendent Glenn Cinco, Calbayog Police chief, said the incident also wounded Ygrubay's wife, Marian, who is the incumbent chairwoman of Cabicahan, and their 4-year-old son.

Initial investigation showed the assailants were just waiting for the victims' vehicle to pass by the area, and then gave chase and started shooting at the latter. There were reports that two other riding-in-tandem men positioned themselves at the rear of the victims' vehicle during the shooting.

The Ygrubays, together with Catalan, were on their vehicle on their way home to Cabicahan when waylaid by the assailants, who later fled towards the city proper on their motorcycles.

The Calbayog Scene of the Crime Operatives were able to recover from the crime scene 12 cases of fired cartridges and two fragments of unidentified caliber of firearms. The police were still trying to identify the killers and investigate the motive of the killing.

Just a month ago, also in this city, a couple on its way home to Barangay Obrero was also killed by riding-in-tandem men, a case that remained unsolved to this day.

The victims, both residents of Brgy. Capoocan, were identified as Ramon Bentores, 45, and his wife, Mary Ann, 39, an employee of the Calbayog City Hall. (FREEMAN)