E. Samar town councilor shot dead

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — A councilor of Dolores town in Eastern Samar was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants at about 7:45 a.m. yesterday (April 20).

A police report said Councilor Bonifacio Tan, Jr., a resident of Barangay 13 in Poblacion of Dolores was walking outside his house when shot several times in the different parts of his body. He died on the spot.

Senior Supt. Emmanuel Cubillo, director of the Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office (ESPPO), said the Dolores Police has yet to establish the motive and the identity of the suspects or the mastermind in the killing.

“We have yet to conduct a thorough investigation,” Cubillo said, adding that one of the possibilities could be political in nature.

“Two persons wearing crash helmets, all riding on a motorcycle, drove beside Tan and fired at him several times. The victim sustained four fatal gunshot wounds,” Cubillo said in a phone interview.

The Dolores Police recovered from the crime scene four empty shells of .45 caliber pistol and a slug of a bullet for 9 mm gun, he said.

“The assailants immediately fled toward the direction of Oras town. I immediately ordered a manhunt operation against them,” Cubillo said.

The manhunt operation yielded results yesterday afternoon when the police arrested the driver of the gateaway vehicle. The police however has withheld the driver’s pending the investigation.

The driver is now in custody of the E. Samar Police Provincial Office in Borongan City. —(FREEMAN)