Poll bet’s aide killed in Bulacan attack

MALOLOS, Philippines — Three people, including a consultant of a congressional aspirant were killed while seven others were wounded in an attack by unidentified gunmen in San Rafael, Bulacan on Friday afternoon.

Brig. Gen Jean Fajardo, Central Luzon police director, identified the fatalities as Bryan Villaflor, his girlfriend Jam, and Army soldier Jayvee Mariano.

Villaflor and Mariano reportedly suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene of the shooting that occurred in Barangay Capihan at past 3 p.m.

Jam was declared dead on arrival in a hospital in Baliwag.

The Bulacan police said among those wounded were passengers of a jeepney, a tricycle and car that were passing through the area when the incident occurred.

Villaflor was an IT consultant and social media operator of Victor Silverio, a congressional aspirant for the third district of Bulacan.

Initial investigation showed the victims, who were in a Ford Everest driven by Villaflor, were being tailed by a black sport utility vehicle (SUV) along Maharlika Highway.

Reports said the men in the SUV opened fire at the Everest using automatic rifles.

The attack caused the Everest to stop along the road.

The gunmen reportedly continued shooting the victims’ vehicle, hitting other cars that were passing through the area.

Silverio, whose mother is Rep. Lorna Silverio, said the victims came from his house and were headed to Baliwag for an errand.

Probers have yet to determine the motive for the attack and identify the gunmen.

Meanwhile, in Abra, gunmen allegedly harassed a convoy of a vice mayoral aspirant in Bangued.

Mark Anthony Go told police the incident occurred in Barangay Sappac.

Go, who is running for vice mayor of Bangued, said he and his companions – Jamer Sotelo, Crisanto Saboy, Renato Bayquen, Ramon Balaoro, Ranel Cortez and Elmer Galera – were in a convoy of three vehicles when they were assaulted at around 4 p.m.

No one was killed or wounded in the incident, but two of the vehicles in the convoy were hit with bullets, police said.

Go gave the police seven names of people whom he believed were responsible for the attack.

Police withheld the identities of the possible suspects so as not to compromised the investigation. — Artemio Dumlao