Village chief shot dead while attending a Farmers’ Congress

KORONADAL CITY – Unidentified gunmen shot dead a South Cotabato village official, who was previously arrested on drug charges, while he was attending a Farmers’ Congress in the town of Surallah.

Declared dead on arrival at the Allah Valley Hospital here was Chairperson Pudi Ambalgan of Barangay Upper Sepaka in Surallah.

He succumbed to multiple bullet wounds in his chest and abdomen, according to Chief Insp. Jardi Mont Sipal, Surallah town police chief.

“He was shot in front of many people, we have witnesses that could help identify the perpetrators,” Sipal said of the shooting, which occurred at 8:30 a.m. at the town plaza where farmers from various villages converged for a congress.

Ambalgan had previously been arrested in connection with the government’s anti-drug war but was freed on bail./lb