Village executive slain in Cagayan

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A councilman was killed while a plantation owner is still in critical state as a result of separate shooting incidents in Cagayan province Friday.

According to the Gattaran town police, the councilman, identified as Rodrigo Agliam of Barangay Naddungan was shot dead Thursday night by one Rafael Tumaliuan due to alleged misunderstanding during a wake.

Reports indicated that the two were at the wake of the father of barangay chairman Marlon Binuesa when they suddenly had an altercation, which led to the suspect’s pulling out his 9 mm pistol and shooting Agliam.

Agliam was reportedly hit on the chest, with bullet wounds also grazing his back, causing his death. The suspect immediately fled from the crime scene and is now the subject of an intensive search. 

The incident took place hours before sugar plantation owner Lauro Parallag, 58, also in the northernmost province, was shot in the head by a lone suspect while driving his car along a diversion road in Barangay San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City.

Parallag, a former military intelligence officer, is reportedly still in unstable condition at the Church-run Saint Paul Hospital in Tuguegarao City where he was rushed immediately after the incident with a bullet slug still in his head. – Charlie Lagasca