Pastor slain in Vizcaya

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – A 54-year-old pastor, who once served as councilor of Lamut town in Ifugao, was gunned down along the diversion road in Bagabag town this province Tuesday night. 

Chief Inspector Chivalier Irringan, Bagabag police chief, said the victim, Benedicto Manaol, pastor of the Christ the King Church, suffered five gunshot wounds, causing his immediate death.

Police said Manaol was on his way home from his farm in Barangay Dagupan, Quezon town onboard his motorcycle when a man on a white vehicle attacked him at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Police were still probing the killing, the sixth in Bagabag town in less than a month.

Probers recovered several empty .45-caliber shells from the crime scene.

“We will do our best so we can solve this crime so I ordered the Bagabag police chief to conduct an investigation and I also dispatched an additional police force from the provincial public safety company to help the local police,” said Senior Superintendent John Luglug, officer-in-charge of the Nueva Vizcaya police.