Bayan Muna official shot dead

A provincial chairman of the militant group Bayan Muna was shot dead yesterday in Donsol, Sorsogon, the third militant to be killed in the province.

Reports reaching Camp Crame identified the victim as Francisco Bantog, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the body and died on the spot.

Last Dec. 11, Cris Frivaldo was assassinated in Irosin town while lawyer Gil Gojol was killed in Gubat town by motorcycle-riding men the following day.

One report said Bantog was with some companions when the attack took place at around 10 a.m. Friday at the Donsol Tourism Office, barely 300 meters from the headquarters of the tourist police.

Witnesses told probers that they failed to see the assassins’ faces since they were wearing helmets during the attack.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol used by the gunmen.

Senior Superintendent Joel Regondola, Sorsogon police director, said Bantog, a government employee of Donsol assigned at the tourism office, was shot by unidentified gunmen on board two motorcycle in Barangay Dancalan.

Regondola said Bantog was shot at about 12:30 p.m. and denies the report that the victim was a member of Bayan Muna. — With Celso Amo