Samar town vice mayor survives ambush; driver hurt

Crime scene investigation. (CDN FILE PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The vice mayor of San Jorge town in Samar survived an ambush staged by still unidentified gunmen while he was heading to the municipal hall on Monday morning.

Vice Mayor Nancy Grey, who served as town mayor for nine years before being elected vice mayor, was unharmed when the perpetrators fired at the Toyota Hi-Ace van (plate number SAA-3292) shortly after leaving her house in Barangay Mancol, San Jorge, about 10:10 a.m.

Catalino Obaob, 26, who drove the van, was hurt in the left foot and was brought to the nearby rural health station for treatment.

The vice mayor’s security escorts – Michael Bollido, 40 and Joel Costambienes, 39, – were not hurt.

Grey, 60, was on her way to the legislative building to attend the regular session of the municipal council when the ambush happened.

But the still unidentified perpetrators positioned themselves on a hilly portion of the highway and fired at the van, said Chief Insp. Angelo Pueblos, Samar Province Police Office intelligence chief.

He said combined elements of the Samar Province Public Safety Company and the Regional Public Safety Battalion in Eastern Visayas were looking for the assailants.

Last Jan. 31, unidentified persons lobbed grenades at the two houses of the vice mayor in Barangays Mancol and Aurora, wounding two of their staff —  Police Officer 1 Artemio Rebato, who was temporarily detailed at the vice mayor’s house and Jimmy Mariquit, a house cook.  SFM