ABC head slain in Calbayog City

CALBAYOG CITY, Philippines – A village chief who headed this city’s Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) was gunned down by three men Thursday morning, authorities said.

According to reports, Justiniano Belleza, chairman of Barangay Carayman, and two companions, a certain Fernando Taduyo and Benito Dumayan, were inside a car parked just in front of the city’s Legislative Hall when three men wearing full-face helmets and aboard two motorcycles fired at them.

Belleza was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital. His two companions were wounded. 

Police were eyeing politics in the gun attack, but said other possible angles would be looked into. 

Political killings usually occur in Samar’s first district, particularly in this city, every time elections get near, with warring politicians suspected to employ guns-for-hire to silence supporters of their rivals.

Private armies are said to be “untouchables” in the city, but Superintendent Roel Acidre, Samar police director, said some of them have already been neutralized.

Samar provincial board member and former judge Alma Uy, who was among those who broke the news on social media, condemned the killing and appealed to the police for a speedy investigation. 

Police have put up checkpoints around the city and launched a manhunt for the assailants.