Town exec killed in NPA attack

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A municipal councilor, who was seeking reelection, was shot dead by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental yesterday morning.

Jolomar Hilario, 51, was asleep when the guerrillas barged into his home in Barangay Inolingan.

At least 50 rebels, who arrived in a truck at around 6 a.m., surrounded the councilor’s house, according to Maj. Joem Malong, spokesman for the Western Visayas police.

The guerrillas were armed with short and long firearms. Some of them went into the house and shot the victim in front of his family.

The rebels did not harm Hilario’s relatives.

“After the incident, they fled toward Barangay Quintin Remo,” Malong said in a text message to The STAR, referring to the rebels.

Relatives rushed Hilario to the nearby Enrico Roa Elumba Clinic, where he was declared dead on arrival at around 7 a.m.

Probers have yet to determine the motive for the killing, which occurred four days after a laborer was killed by alleged NPA rebels in nearby Barangay Macagahay.

Joselito Ramirez, 53, and his two companions were on their way home when three men, who introduced themselves as NPA rebels, waylaid them in Sitio Agogolo on March 27.

The suspects shot Ramirez, killing him at the scene.

They did not harm his companions. – With Emmanuel Tupas