Manila bet shot on eve of b’gay polls

MANILA, Philippines - A candidate for chairman in today’s barangay elections was attacked as he was meeting with his supporters in front of his house in Port Area, Manila yesterday.

Mike Salik Arongo, 53, was standing in front of his house on 11th street in Barangay 650, Zone 68 at past 5 p.m. when the “gunman walked toward him and without a word, fired at Mike, hitting him in the right shoulder,” incumbent Barangay 650 chairman Ibrahim Dimakuta, 51, said.

Dimakuta said the gunman shot at his brother-in-law at least three times but hit him only once. He said he is supporting Arongo as barangay chairman because he is on his third and last term.

“Mike is a peaceful man, he has no known enemy in our village and I could not think of any motive but politics behind the attempt on his life,” Dimakuta said.

Arongo’s nephew, Gamal Calandada, 25, said the gunman – clad in a black polo shirt and denim pants, with a cap pulled low to cover most of his face – then walked to Bonifacio Drive, where a motorcycle-riding accomplice was waiting for him.

“No witness was able to jot down the plate number of the suspects’ motorcycle but they said the gunmen fled toward Baseco Compound,” Calandada said.

He added that Arongo was brought to the Manila Doctors’ Hospital and, according to relatives who accompanied the victim, he was already out of danger.

According to Dimakuta, Mike is the “strongest” candidate among the three aspirants for chairman of Barangay 650, the two others being Al Bayabas and Nas Junatan Tuan. 

Dimakuta denied rumors that Arongo is related to the Ampatuan clan of Maguindanao.  – With Edu Punay