Ex-power coop employee shot dead in Tagum

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte – A former employee of an electric cooperative in Davao del Norte was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in downtown Tagum on Monday afternoon.

Richard Basigsig suffered several gunshot wounds and died upon arrival at a local hospital following the attack along a busy intersection in Magugpo Poblacion village past 4 p.m., Supt. Laudemer Laude, Tagum City police chief, said.

Laude said the 39-year-old electrical engineer was walking toward his parked car with his wife, along Arellano and Sobrecarey Streets when the assailant casually walked up to him and shot the victim, using a handgun. Basigsig was hit in the head and body while his wife was unhurt.

The assailant fled on a waiting motorcycle driven by another person, police said.

The victim had reportedly worked for the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative under the National Electrification Administration (NEA) but left three years ago to become a private electric contractor.

Since March 1, at least 11 shootings have occurred in Tagum, according to police and media reports, or an average of one every two days.  SFM/rga