Village chief, driver shot dead in Davao City

DAVAO CITY – Unidentified gunmen shot dead the outgoing chief of Barangay Talandang in Calinan district here and a companion on Thursday, the police said.

Senior Insp. Ma. Teresita Gaspan, city police spokesperson, identified the victims as Talandang village chair Reynaldo Dumagan, 52, and Fernando Suganob.

Dumagan and several others were reportedly on their way to the Davao International Airport when a red pickup truck with armed men on board blocked them on Magtuod Road in Barangay Ma-a.

Gaspan said the armed men fired at Dumagan who was sitting at front seat, hitting him and Sganob, who was driving the barangay-owned vehicle.The assailants then sped towards the city proper.

Dumagan was to relinquish his post on July 1 to his daughter, Cindy, who was elected as the new Talandang village chief on May 14.

But he was to take his post as a village councilor on the same day as he won a seat in the village council in the same election.

Gaspan said an investigation is ongoing to determine the motive and identities of the perpetrators. /ee