Laguna village chief gunned down

LUCENA CITY – A barangay captain in Bay town in Laguna province was shot and killed by four suspects riding in two motorcycles Sunday morning, police said.

A report from Bay police station identified the victim as Arnold Martinez, 54, incumbent village chieftain in Barangay Tranca.

Report said Martinez was repeatedly shot by the still unidentified gunmen aboard motorcycles while the village official was at the roadside around 9:20 a.m.

It was later learned that the victim was leading a road clearing operation when he was attacked.

The suspects fled towards the town center after the shooting while the victim was taken to the hospital, the report said.

“He was declared DOA (dead on arrival) at the hospital,” Police Staff Sergeant Reden Cadsawan, case investigator, said in a phone interview.

Police recovered several empty bullet shells from caliber .45 and 9mm at the crime scene.

JE