MANILA, Philippines—A village chief in Batangas became the second government official to be assassinated Tuesday in the province when gunmen attacked him after a meeting with the mayor of Laurel town.
Roberto Garcia, village chief of Barangay (village) Molinete in Laurel municipality, was gunned down by unidentified assailants around 10:30 p.m. late Monday.
Inspector Mary Anne Crester Torres, information chief of the Batangas Police Provincial Office, said Garcia died on the spot from a gunshot wound in the head.
Senior Insp. Philip Aguilar, Balete police chief, said the police recovered 13 casings from an M16 rifle at the crime scene.
Initial investigation showed Garcia was headed home on his motorcycle when he was shot.
Torres said prior to the shooting, Garcia watched a basketball game along with Laurel Mayor James Amo in Balete town, some 81 kilometers away from Laurel.
After the game, Amo and Garcia headed for home in a vehicle owned by Amo. Upon reaching Amo’s home in Poblacion 2 in Laurel, Garcia drove his motorcycle, which he had parked earlier in Amo’s home, on his way home to Molinete village.
Coincidentally, another Batangas village chief on his way home from the residence of Amo was killed on February 28 after an improvised explosive device went off inside the vehicle he was riding.
Barangay Buso-buso chairman Nestor Rodriguez and his wife Josebia died while two others were hurt.
They were all boarding an L200 van traversing a road in Laurel municipality.
“The police are following a lead but the identity of suspects and the motive can’t be divulged yet so as not to jeopardize the investigation,” Torres said.
The local police has formed Task Force Molinete to speed up the investigation and arrest of the suspects.
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