ZAMBOANGA CITY — An aspirant for barangay chair was killed in an ambush while another one was injured and two others escaped unscathed in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, the police reported Monday.
The incident happened six days before the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the forthcoming elections for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
Chief Supt. Edwin De Ocampo, deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9), disclosed the incident occurred at around 5:10 p.m. Sunday at Purok 3, Barangay Barubuhan, Sominot, Zamboanga del Sur.
De Ocampo identified the fatality as Rolando Labad, an aspirant for village chair, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.
Wounded was Carlito Murcia, who was hospitalized for a bullet wound on his right leg.
The two other companions of the victims, namely Santiago Miñoza and Enrico Estrada, were unscathed as they managed to run and hide for safety and called for police assistance.
De Ocampo said investigation showed the victims were ambushed by unidentified gunmen while they were in a motorcycle convoy traveling from Barangay Poblacion to the residence of Miñoza.
He said a team of responding policemen recovered at the ambush site 42 empty shells and two live ammunitions of M-16 Armalite rifle as well as two empty shells of caliber .45 pistol.
He said the motive is believed to be political rivalry and investigation continues in a bid to identify the suspects behind the incident. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
