Newly-elected village chief gunned down in Batangas

A newly-elected barangay (village) chairman was shot dead by motorcycle-riding suspects in San Jose town in Batangas on Monday morning.

Demetrio Mendoza Deomampo, newly-elected chief of Barangay Buso-Buso in Laurel town, was assassinated around 8:25 a.m. by at least two unidentified men onboard a motorcycle in Barangay Pinagtung-Ulan.

According to a police report, Deomampo just left his rest house in the village onboard his Isuzu Hilander when the suspects suddenly appeared and shot him several times using a .45-caliber hand gun.

The suspects immediately fled the scene and headed to Lipa City.

The village chief was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing and determine whether the incident was related to the recently held barangay elections.

The six-week election period and gun ban for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections ends May 21, 2018. /kga