San Francisco town official shot dead in Danao

A town official of San Francisco, Camotes, was shot dead after leaving a court hearing at the Palace of Justice in Danao City.

Cresencio Formentera Estrera, 55, barangay captain of barangay Sta.Cruz, San Francisco, and president of the Association of Barangay Council in San Francisco town, was killed instantly after being shot in the head by a man whose face was wrapped with cloth.

The victim was shot right in front of his brothers Pepito and Eusebio.

Danao City police chief Larson Dechino said the victim just came from the sala of RTC Branch 25 judge Edito Enemecio after his hearing for a case of frustrated murder.

After the court hearing the three immediately went to the pier to check if there was a ferry bound for Camotes Island but upon reaching Plaza Rizal, the assailant came and shot the victim in the head before escaping on a red motorcycle driven by another unidentified man.

SPO3 Edgar Gomez said, the incident happened about 100 meters away from the police station, but when they came to respond the assailants had already gone.

Dechino said they are checking on all possible motives into the killing, including a political angle considering the coming barangay elections this October.

Another angle is the victim’s pending case for frustrated murder.

“Ang among gisubay karon ang posibilidad nga involved ang kaso niyang frustrated murder ug kadtong angle nga dunay mga previous anti-illegal drugs raids adtong year 2000, kay murag siya man daw maoy gipasanginlang nitabang sa mga polis, iya gud nang barangay,” Dechino said.

According to Dechino, unconfirmed reports have it that one of those raids led to the death of a suspected bigtime drug pusher in San Francisco.

PO1 Cosme Tampus Jr. of the San Francisco police station said a few years ago, a certain Remegio Arias, a known drug personality in barangay Sta. Cruz, was shot dead by joint elements of the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during a drug raid.

Estrera was the barangay captain of the said barangay.

Tampus added that Estrera is active in anti-illegal drugs campaign in his barangay but cannot not say if the victim has known enemies in the town. 

Estrera assumed his position after the incumbent ABC president, Alejandro Cartagena, barangay captain of barangay Montealegre, was elected a town councilor last May.  — Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP