Bicol councilman, wife shot dead

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines  – Unidentified armed men shot to death a barangay councilman, his wife and a visitor who were still asleep inside a house in far-flung Barangay Nabasan in Daraga, Albay early morning yesterday, the police said.

Superintendent William Macavinta, Albay police director, said two armed men on board a motorcycle arrived at the residence at about 2 a.m. and suddenly kicked the door and once inside barged into the room where Nabasan barangay councilman Alfredo Lotino and his wife Evelyn were sleeping and fired several shots at the victims who were still asleep killing them on the spot.

Then the armed men went into another room and also shot to death Anjo Malto and wounded one of the three children, Jenny, 17, who is now being treated at the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital for a gunshot wound on her left arm.

The house of the victim was about 100 meters from the nearest neighbor.

Macavinta said scene of the crime investigators from Daraga town led by police chief Superintendent Roque Bausa found the male victim on a prone position while his wife in a supine position on the bed.

“We are thoroughly conducting an investigation, get all the necessary evidence which can shed light on the motive of the perpetrators,” said Macavinta who, together with his security escorts had to negotiate a rough and difficult road about 39 kilo­meters from Barangay Mayon along the national highway toward Barangay Nabasan.

Brig. Gen. Marlou Salazar, commanding general of the 901st Brigade based in Barangay Villahermosa, said that New People’s Army rebels fired at the Army detachment in Barangay San Ramon near Barangay Nabasan Sunday evening.

Nobody was reported hurt in the straffing on the government side.

“I wish the authorities can immediately give justice to the killing of Fred, his wife and their visitor,” said Nabasan barangay captain Edna Malto in Filipino.

Reports said that aside from serving as a barangay councilman Alfredo was also engaged in buying copra.

“He just filed his certificate of candidacy to run for the same position during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 25,” one of his neighbors said who refused to be identified.

Bicol PNP spokesman Pelagio Samsom Jr. said there are indicators the NPA is going to intervene to protect their so-called influenced barangays mostly in far-flung areas in the coming Barangay and SK elections.   

Samson cited the killing of Jay Carlo Cameleon, 20, Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Barangay San Isidro in Pandan, Catanduanes by NPA rebels on Sept. 20.

The rebels did not want him to run for the coming elections because they have another candidate to support in the simultaneous barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Oct. 25.