Caloocan village chief slain; drugs eyed

MANILA, Philippines - A barangay chairman was gunned down in his office in Caloocan yesterday afternoon.

Barangay 68 chairman Jerboy Mauricio was overseeing the renovation of the barangay hall along Del Mundo street when four unidentified men, clad in black jackets, arrived and shot him repeatedly at past 4 p.m.

The assailants fled after making sure that Mauricio was dead.

Investigators said the victim suffered 12 gunshot wounds – most of them fatal. 

Chief Inspector Ilustre Mendoza, assistant city police chief for administration, told The STAR they are still trying to determine the motive for the killing.

However, a top city hall official said there were reports Mauricio had been considered a high-value target for his alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Mendoza refused to comment. He said he would rather wait for the official results of the investigation.  

He said they will retrieve Mauricio’s gadgets and send them to the Philippine National Police headquarters to retrieve the messages.