Mayor’s ex-aide shot dead in N. Cotabato

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MLANG, North Cotabato— A former close aide of Mlang Mayor Joselito Piñol was shot dead by a still unidentified assailant on Monday night while the victim was tending his mini-grocery store here, the police said Tuesday.

Monday’s killing took place as the barangay elections were nearing but the police said an investigation was still being conducted to determine if the attack was politically-motivated or the result of a personal grudge.

Insp. Rolando Dillera, Mlang police chief, said Jerry Parrondo, 40, was shot at close range in the head by a lone gunman with a .45-caliber pistol early evening Monday.

The gunman simply walked away from the crime scene and boarded a motorcycle parked a few meters away, then sped toward the nearby town of Matalam, Dillera said.

Dillera said the police were still conducting an investigation to determine the motive in the killing and find the assailant.

Piñol said he condemned the killing of his former aide but added he was leaving the matter to the police. “Authorities should exert all means in order to arrest the suspect and his companion and to give justice to the family of the victim,” he said.