Bataan ex-rebel gunned down

BALANGA CITY , Philippines  – An unidentified gunman shot to death a former ranking rebel in Bataan, whose petitions for family immigrant status to the United States were approved, was gunned down while fixing his motorcycle in front of a variety store in barangay Lalawigan, Samal town, this province on Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, Bataan police director, identified the victim as Ramon Lingal Jr., 48, of the coastal village of Tabing-Ilog, Samal town, who was shot at close range on the head by a lone gunman armed with a .45 caliber automatic pistol wearing black jacket and crash helmet, who reportedly alighted from a motorcycle. The victim died on the spot.

Lingal was an alleged former top member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Bataan and neighboring provinces from 1995 to 1997.

The victim was reportedly with his wife, Maribel, bound for Orani town but the motorcycle they were riding on bogged down while cruising the MacArthur Highway.

The wife rode in an approaching passenger jeepney while her husband went back to Samal town to look for a mechanic to check on the motorcycle.