Nueva Ecija mayor, aide hurt in gun attack

GUIMBA, Nueva Ecija—The mayor of Carranglan town and his driver were wounded after two men on board a motorcycle shot them in Barangay (village) Saranay here on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Carranglan Mayor Restituto Abad and Private First Class Satty Duclaya, his driver and security aide, were taken to Guimba District Hospital but were later transferred to a hospital in Cabanatuan City, said Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, Nueva Ecija police director.

Aliggayu said Abad suffered two bullet wounds in his left armpit and shoulder while Duclaya had three bullet wounds in his neck and hand. Abad’s wife, Mary, who was also on board the mayor’s Ford Everest, was unhurt.

Police said Abad and his wife attended a freemasonry event in Guimba and were on their way home when they were attacked at about 3:30 p.m.

Jose Berlino Pascual, a resident of Cabanatuan and the driver of the motorcycle used in the crime, was later arrested by policemen.

Pascual identified the gunman as Jonathan Carpio, also of Cabanatuan, who is being hunted by the police.

Pascual said Carpio informed him of the nature of their job a few minutes before the attack. “I was not informed that our target is a mayor,” he said.

Supt. Renato David, Guimba police chief, said Pascual would be charged with double frustrated murder.

In Catarman, Northern Samar, a village chief was shot dead on Sunday morning by alleged communist rebels on his way to attend a barangay session in Pambujan town.

Ernesto Sosing, barangay captain of Busak, was driving a motorcycle while his wife, Elna, rode tandem when three armed men waylaid him on the narrow Feeder Road about 8:30 a.m.

The rebels told Sosing’s wife to get down from the motorcycle before they shot at the victim in the head and parts of his body.

The couple came from their house at the Pambujan town proper and were heading to the barangay hall, about four kilometers away, to attend the session.—Reports from Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon; Rachel Arnaiz and Joey A. Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas