Palawan disaster official shot dead by suspected rebels

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan—A disaster official of the Palawan provincial government was shot dead Friday night in Brooke’s Point town by unidentified assailants claiming to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

A spot report from the Brooke’s Point police said the victim Gibert Baaco, 44, was attacked by five suspects, two of them women, after he and his family finished their dinner in their residence at Barangay (village) Barong Barong.

The police report said the victim was in his living room loading his handgun when he sensed the intruders and tried to run outside his house but was gunned down as he reached his main door. The victim died on the way to the Leoncio General Hospital. The attackers ransacked the victim’s house and left with two high power firearms owned by the victim.

The victims was head of the provincial government’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRM) and its emergency paramedic and rescue unit Rescue 165.

Palawan governor Jose Alvarez, in a text message, expressed doubts that the perpetrators were communist rebels.

“We were all shocked. He was having dinner with his family when they (attackers) barged in pretending to be NPAs, but you know who,” Alvarez said. He did not elaborate who may be the other possible suspects in the attack.