Village chief, companions killed in Masbate shootout

LEGAZPI CITY –– A village chief and his companion were killed in a shootout with police on Wednesday night in Balud town in Masbate province.

Dante Hernal, chief of Barangay Salvacion and Association of Barangay Captains president of Balud, and a certain June Ibañez of Barangay Tonga were killed when they engaged police operatives in a firefight at 8:25 p.m. in Barangay Mapitogo, Maj. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, Bicol police spokesperson, said.

Calubaquib, quoting a report, said policemen were on their way back to their station after conducting an anti-gambling operation when the group of Hernal, armed with high powered firearms, alighted from their pickup van and a motorcycle and fired at them. The police operatives returned fire, hitting and killing Hernal and Ibañez.

The other still unidentified gunmen who were with Hernal were able to escape by driving away on the pickup van.

Police probers are still investigating if the victims were members of a gambling syndicate operating in the said town, Calubaquib said. Mar S. Arguelles /lzb