2 UPLB workers killed in Laguna

Camp Vicente Lim, Laguna — Two workers of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna were shot to death by a motorcycle riding man in separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday while they were on their way to work.

Senior Inspector Aldrin Abila, Los Baños police chief, identified the victims as Juan Alborida, 46, chief mechanic of UPLB’s Agricultural Machinery Development Program and Renato Del Valle, 39, a contractor of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), of Sitio Sipit, Barangay Sto. Domingo, Bay, Laguna.

According to reports, Alborida was about to punch in his daily time record in front of his office building when a man armed with a caliber .45 pistol shot him at close range at around 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

Alborida sustained six gunshot wounds in different parts of the body and was declared dead on arrival at the UPLB infirmary.

After the shooting, the suspect, who was wearing a helmet fled aboard his motorcycle.

Meanwhile, Del Valle was walking along with his co-workers in Barangay Maahas in Los Baños town when two men aboard a motorcycle shot him several times at around 6:30 a.m. yesterday.

Del Valle was declared dead on arrival at the Pagamutang Pang-Masa ng Laguna in Bay town after sustaining four gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.

Police recovered three deformed slugs and six empty shells of the firearm used by the gunman in Alborida’s slay, while four empty shells of the same caliber was found at the place where Del Valle was shot. — With Ed Amoroso