Cebu mayor in narco list survives ambush

MANILA, Philippines — Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot and members of his family survived an ambush by still unidentified men in his hometown’s Maya Roro Port in Cebu province yesterday morning.

Loot and his family were unscathed, but their two drivers and a house helper were wounded by bullets from an M16 rifle and taken to a hospital.

Loot, a retired chief superintendent of the PNP, was one of the first police officials – dubbed ‘narco generals’ – named by Duterte in 2016 to be involved in the illegal drug trade. 

In a phone interview, Loot told The STAR he could not think of anyone who would want him and his family dead, although he believes the motive is politics.

“Wala pa akong maisip na suspect. Nandito kami ngayon sa police station (I have no suspect yet. We are here at the police station),” Loot said.

“Okay ra unta to kung ako ra but naa man gud akong mga apo (Had I been by myself, I would have been okay, but my grandchildren were with me). They are traumatized,” he told The Freeman by phone.

He lamented that the assailants “did not discriminate” even if his five grandchildren were with him when they arrived from Malapascua Island.

He is planning to appeal to President Duterte for security and urged the public to report to the police immediately if they see the suspects’ vehicle.

Probers said the ambush took place at around 7 a.m. yesterday. They added that the suspects, on board a van, waited at the pier, carried long firearms and wore bonnets and black T-shirts.

Loot and his family were disembarking from a pump boat when the assailants fired upon them.

He said the suspects fled in their white van, with plate number 5584. 

Witnesses claimed that the gunmen spoke in Tagalog while the Philippine National Police (PNP) has issued an alarm and established checkpoints to intercept the getaway vehicle.

Loot’s stepson, board member Sun Simura, was still in the pump boat when they were ambushed. He is the son of the mayor’s wife, Vice Mayor Malou Loot. Shimura’s family is currently at his mother’s place.

Shimura said they have requested for PNP escorts. He added that the three who have been hurt were brought to Cebu Doctors Hospital.

For his part, Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial election supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said he has been notified by Shimura on the request and asked for clearance, which was granted.

By virtue of a resolution, the Comelec has to be notified when there is a transfer or movement of police officers during an election period.

But Castillano added that it is too late to include Daanbantayan in Comelec’s watchlist, following the ambush.

However, he assured the public that the election will push through in the town because the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP have augmented their personnel. Daanbantayan has been classified as a special concern area. – Lorraine Mitzi Ambrad