Caloocan kagawad slain, wife hurt in ambush

MANILA, Philippines - A barangay councilman was killed and his wife was wounded when two still unidentified assailants ambushed them as they were walking home in Pangarap Village, Caloocan City Wednesday night.

Barangay 181 kagawad Garry Moralla, 26, was declared dead on arrival at the Tala Memorial Hospital while his wife, Jonalyn, 27, who works for a shoe repair chain, suffered a gunshot wound in the right hand.

Investigators said Moralla and his wife left the barangay hall and were walking along Gemini street at around 10 p.m. when two men on a motorcycle stopped near them and started shooting at the victims.

Police officers recovered eight spent shells from a 9mm pistol.

Moralla is the second barangay councilman shot in five days.

An unidentified assailant shot Barangay 174 kagawad Edward Jundayao Sunday morning as he was waiting for his wife in front of their house on Waling-Waling street in Area C, Camarin.

Jundayao was rushed to the Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital but was later transferred to the East Avenue Medical Center, where he is now recuperating.

On Monday, former policeman Eduardo Balanay, 66, deputy chief of Caloocan City’s department of public safety and traffic management, was killed while clearing a vacant lot in front of his house at North Matrix Ville Subdivision.

Barangay 187 kagawad Luisito Banzon was killed on March 22 while Barangay 183 chairman Pedro Ramirez was shot in front of a hardware store along Quirino Highway three days later.