by Miriam G. Desacada
Tacloban City–The police have raised its reward of P150,000 to anyone who can provide verified information on the identity and whereabouts of the gunman who shot dead a barangay kagawad (councilman) of Barangay Biliboy, Ormoc City on Monday (October 23).
The victim, identified as 53-year-old Francisco Villero, was shot dead at the Diversion Staff House in Biliboy, one of the city’s 85 barangays. Villero was talking to a client when an unidentified man approached him and fired shots at various parts of his body. The barangay official, who was up for re-election this coming BSKE on October 30, died on the spot, while the gunman immediately left the scene before stunned witnesses.
Police/Captain Ramil Caldona, commander of Police Station 1 of the Ormoc City Police, told the media that they need tips leading to the identification and arrest of the perpetrator that would result in the resolution of the case to give justice to the victim.
Cardona said they are still gathering information related to the incident, but his command will not be revealing the progress of the investigation to avoid undue tips to the suspect or suspects. But he said that any informants may call his station via numbers 0915-425-9952 or 0998-967-4956.
Amid this Ormoc shooting, following same violent incidents in nearby towns of the 3rd district of Leyte, Comelec-Region 8 assistant Regional Director Felicisimo Embalsado, updated the media on the election situation of the entire Eastern Visayas region.
Embalsado said there has been no clear and imminent danger that would disrupt the region’s conduct of BSKE on Oct. 30, except for the rather “isolated cases of political violence” in some areas in Samar and Leyte.
He believed that the active and effective enforcement of security measures by the police and the military at Comelec-identified areas of concern, by and large resulted in the generally peaceful conduct of election in the entire region.
Meanwhile, Burauen town election officer Virgilio Apostol, disclosed that the main problem in his area is the blatant defiance of the guidelines on putting up of campaign materials or posters at Comelec-designated areas.
ha lain nga bahin nahdayon dida hiton diri pasaway.nga.mga kandidato ngan supporter usa na an pahsunod hiton mga aludayday nga balaud hiton Comelec sugad hiton pagbubutang ha tama nga lugar han mga campaign materials o’ posters.
Apostol added that three candidates for barangay captain, and seven others for SK and Barangay Kagawad posts had withdrawn their candidacies, citing either personal decision or getting threats to their lives.
The Comelec-8, so far, had placed at least 63 barangays in Samar, two towns and one city under immediate areas of concern due to violent incidents or threats of violence. —Miriam G. Desacada