Duterte ally shot dead in Agusan

TRENTO, Agusan del Sur—A newly elected town councilor here, who ran under President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), was shot dead by still unidentified gunmen on Wednesday while he was about to have dinner with his wife and two supporters outside his home in Barangay Poblacion.

Two others were injured in the attack, according to Senior Insp. Alex Celiz, the town police chief.

Celiz said Chito Mabunga, 42, the lone PDP-Laban candidate in the town, was hit six times in different parts of the body when two men in a tricycle opened fire at his group around 7:45 p.m.

His supporters, Alexis Arca and Rey Palma, were also injured while his wife, Rose, was unscathed.

Mabunga was rushed to a hospital but he died before receiving any medical treatment.

Police recovered from the crime scene four casings for .45 cal. bullets.

Celiz said the identities of the suspects would be known soon as their faces had been captured by a security camera at Mabunga’s home.

Former Butuan City Rep. Charito Plaza, the PDP-Laban vice president for Mindanao, condemned the attack on Mabunga.

“I denounce the killing of my dear friend and the PDP municipal chair of Trento Chito Mabunga,” Plaza said.

She said the victim had earlier confided to her the death threats he received and the political harassment he and his family were subjected to during the campaign period. Chris Panganiban, Inquirer Mindanao