Barangay councilor shot dead in Cebu City

Unidentified assailant (right) aims gun at Barangay Councilor Ruel Mabano (back turned) before firing. (Photo from CCTV footage provided by Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City)

CEBU CITY — A councilor of Barangay Kalunasan in this city was shot dead by a still unidentified assailant 5 meters from the the barangay hall past 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Footage from a closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed in front of the barangay hall showed that Barangay Councilor Ruel Mabano was standing under a tent when a lone assailant approached and shot him twice on the belly.

Mabano, a former police officer, tried to run away. But his assailant shot him several times before escaping on a motorcycle.

Senior Insp. Eduardo Sanchez, Guadalupe police precinct chief, said Mabano was formerly assigned at the Cebu City City Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Team before he was relieved from his post and transferred to Mindanao alongside other police officer in Cebu who were suspected of being involved in the narcotics trade.

“We received information that he [Mabano] was a narco-cop, although we have to validate that yet. The investigation is ongoing,” Sanchez said.

Last May, Mabano ran and won as one of barangay councilor. /atm