Leyte village chief faces murder raps

TACLOBAN CITY –– A village chief in Albuera town, Leyte province is behind bars after he was arrested for allegedly killing a man, who went to his house to ask for a barangay clearance on Thursday, May 7.

Andres Cruz of Barangay Sherwood will be charged with murder in connection with the death of Paulito Paton-og.

The police investigation showed that Paton-og went to the house of Cruz in Barangay Seguinon, where the suspect temporarily resides.

But while the victim was approaching, Cruz drew his firearm and shot Paton-og on the chest.

“According to the suspect, the victim was wearing a helmet and shouted at him. The suspect got angry, drew his gun, and shot the victim,” Police Captain John Rey Layog said in a phone interview.

The responding Albuera policemen recovered a caliber .45 revolver from Cruz.

Layog said Paton-og went to the house of Cruz to secure a barangay clearance.

He declined to say if the victim would use the barangay clearance to secure a cash aid under the government’s social amelioration program (SAP).

“That’s based on the rumor, but we have yet to confirm if the incident had something to do with SAP,” Layog said.

Cruz is now locked up at the police station’s detention facility, pending the filing of charges against him.