Former Bulacan vice mayor shot dead

HAGONOY, Bulacan — A former vice mayor of Calumpit town was gunned down by three motorcycle-riding men in front of his house here yesterday morning.

Police said Arthur Garcia, 54, who served as Calumpit vice mayor from 1998 to 2001, had just stepped out of his house in Barangay San Juan to ask a neighbor to run an errand for him at about 6:30 a.m. when he was shot.

Police said Garcia died on the spot from five gunshot wounds, two of them in the head, from 9-mm. and caliber .45 handguns.

Garcia’s neighbors said the former Calumpit official had no known enemies, prompting police investigators to suspect that the killing was politically motivated.

Garcia was said to be a staunch supporter of Calumpit mayor-elect James de Jesus.

De Jesus defeated Jojo Pagdanganan, son of outgoing Mayor Ramon Pagdanganan.

Garcia owned the Victory Flores Memorial Institute in Barangay San Juan here. — With Ric Sapnu