Ex-mayor of Samar town ambushed; bodyguard killed

Update

CALBAYOG CITY – A former town mayor, who was gearing for a political comeback in the 2019 elections was ambushed by four armed men early Monday morning in San Jose de Buan town, Samar.

Former mayor Ananias Rebato, 57, of San Jose de Buan was wounded, while his bodyguard, Severino Tesorio, 24 was killed when the assailants fired at them while Rebato was about to board his vehicle about 1 a.m. in Barangay Baclayon.

His close-in security managed to fire at the assailants, killing one of them. The three others fled.

PO1 Dunhill Villa of town police station said Rebato was in Baclayon, 7 km from the town proper, to attend an event which was part of the village’s fiesta celebration.

While he was about to board to his vehicle, four armed men approached him and his group and peppered them with bullets, said Villa in a phone interview.

The former mayor was hit in different parts of his body and was brought to a hospital in Tacloban City.

“We are still conducting our investigation on the incident,” Villa said.

The local police had yet to determine the motive but a source said that Rebato was planning to run for vice mayor of the 4th class town with only 4,730 voters in 2016 election. Rebato was mayor from 2007 to 2016.