Newly elected village chief shot dead in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY — A newly elected village chief of Burgos town in Pangasinan province was shot dead early Wednesday morning as he walked through the gate of his farm, police said.

Santiago Abella Jr. was shot three times in the face and shoulder at about 5:30 a.m. in Barangay (village) Concordia and had died on the way to a hospital, according to Burgos police chief Sr. Insp. Jervel Rillorta.

Abella’s farm is located 100 meters from his house in Barangay Concordia. It was not clear if the gunman acted alone or how he escaped.

Abella, an incumbent village council member, was a two-term Concordia village chief and had once served as Burgos Liga ng mga Barangay federation president.

He was supposed to assume office as village chief again on June 30.

Rillorta said investigators are now pursuing a lead but declined to give more details. /kga