Calamba gov’t employee shot dead

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines—A ranking employee of the city government in Calamba, Laguna, was shot dead in front of the city treasurer’s home early Sunday.

Jaime Herrera, 57, was shot dead at around 9 a.m. while on board his vehicle parked in front of the house of Calamba City treasurer and Herrera’s family friend Francisa Adriano in Barangay (village) Paciano.

Herrera was the manager of the city’s slaughterhouse, under the city’s veterinary services. He was also the father-in-law of Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Marlon Ramos.

Calamba City Superintendent Marvin Saro said Herrera was there to pick up and drive Adriano when a lone gunman approached the victim and shot him in the head.

Adriano was inside the house when Herrera was shot.  Saro said a witness saw the gunman casually walked away from the scene.

“The witness also saw the gunman enter a neighboring house, but that turned out negative when checked,” Saro said in a phone interview.

He, however, declined to give details of the house owner where the gunman supposedly entered, as follow-up operations were continuing.

“It could be work-related or family-related,” Saro said of the possible motive for the killing.

Calamba City Mayor Justin Marc Chipeco, in a phone interview, said he did not know Herrera personally as there were “thousands” of employees in the city government.

“But of course, we will do everything to give justice to the victim and his family,” Chipeco said.