Councilor shot dead in Camarines Sur

NAGA CITY, Philippines—A councilor in Sagñay, Camarines Sur, was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the police said Thursday.

The town official, identified as Danilo Musca, 61, a resident of Barangay (village) Sibagwan in Sagñay, was found dead by the police at about 6 p.m. sprawled next to his motorcycle on the road in Barangay Kilomaon, according to Senior Police Officer 1 Marcelo Trinidad.

He said a police team rushed to the area after receiving information that somebody was shot dead in Kilomaon, an upland village about seven kilometers from the town center where Musca owned a sugarcane farm, which  he visited that afternoon.

Trinidad said by phone that their initial investigation showed that three persons wearing crash helmets, all riding on an HRM motorcycle, drove beside Musca, who was also on a motorcycle, and fired at him several times.

He said the body of the councilor was taken to the infirmary of the municipal police station where he was confirmed dead by a doctor.

Musca suffered at least four gunshot wounds, said Trinidad.

Police recovered three empty shells of 9 mm and three empty shells of .45-cal. pistol at the crime scene, he added.

The motive for the killing was still unknown.