Catarman, Northern Samar - Vice Mayor Armando Chan of Lavezares, Northern Samar was seriously wounded in an ambush executed by two unidentified motorcycle-riding men last Tuesday evening in this capital town.
Chan, together with his driver Jose Cuyco and a companion, Oscar Clutario Lopez, was waylaid around 8:20 p.m., Jan. 30, at Barangay Dalakit, this town, shortly after entering his parked dark blue Toyota Corolla.
Chan was seated beside Cuyco while Lopez was at the back seat when the shooting occurred. They were then on their way home to Lavezares.
Chan suffered four wounds, two on the stomach and one each on the chest and right arm. He was immediately brought to the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital here for treatment.
The driver and the other rider were left unhurt.
Initial investigation conducted by Supt. Asdali Abah, OIC director of the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, disclosed that some empty shells were recovered inside the vehicles, all coming from a .45 caliber pistol that was used by the gunman.
The suspects immediately fled after one of them pumped four bullets on the vice mayor.
Supt. Abah immediately instructed the police forces of Catarman as well as nearby Mondragon and Bobon towns to set up check points in an effort to arrest the suspects, but the suspects were able to elude the dragnet.
The police is still investigating the case. But some sources expressed belief that the attempted killing was politically motivated.
"Wala pa rin kaming lead kung ano ang motibo ng pananambang dahil hindi naman nakilala ng mga biktima kung sino ang bumaril sa kanya", Abah said.
Cuyco and Lopez said the suspects immediately sped away towards Allen town after the incident.
Another witness, Cosme Divina, said he was sending off the three who attended a small gathering inside a sing-along joint that he (Divina) owns, when the incident happened. But he was unable to see the faces of the suspects.
Divina was left unhurt by the suspects.
"Ayon sa ating imbestigasyon, mga hired killers ito," Abah said. He added that because of the presence of several other residents near the crime scene, the others were spared from the shooting. "Papatayin din sana 'yung iba," the police director added, referring to the three who were left unhurt.
Chan, who is now in his third and last term as vice mayor, is set to run for mayor this coming elections. Among his opponents is the brother of incumbent Lavezares Mayor Quintin Saludaga.
It was also learned that Chan has filed several administrative cases against Saludaga for the alleged irregularities in the municipal government. But some believe the shooting of the vice mayor may have not been politically motivated, pointing out that he also filed cases against a Department of Public Works and Highways in the province.
Chan is in his last term as vice mayor, and will run for mayor this May polls against Beda Bugtong and Jun Saludaga in Lavezares.
Albuera, Leyte - An attempted murder case was filed in Tacloban against a policeman who is assigned in the neighboring town of Albuera, 15 kilometers south of the city proper. The suspect, SPO1 Reynaldo Quirimit, was accused of pointing his gun against complainant Fe Reoma.
The incident happened on September 6 about 5:00 in the afternoon when SPO1 Quirimit allegedly kicked open the door of the rented room of Re-oma at #67 P. Gomez Street in Tacloban City, 102 kilometers east of Ormoc.
Re-oma claimed that once inside, the cop pointed his gun directed at him and said, "'Wag kang lalapit, paptayin kita!" He said he parried the gun and ran out of the room to the second floor of the building. As he raced down the stairway, Quirimit allegedly shot Re-oma but missed, with the bullet hitting only the concrete stairway.
A subpoena dated September 20 was sent to SPO1 Quirimit at the Albuera PNP but was not yet returned. The fiscal's office in Tacloban trusted the efficiency of the postal service and concluded the respondent must have received the subpoena but failed to submit the counter-affidavit.
Prosecutor Percival Cana ruled that respondent's act of kicking the door of the complainant's rented room was designed to surprise the object of his fury and to ensure the latter fails to put up any defense against any assault upon his person.
"Intent to kill on the part of respondent is established by his own utterances and his subsequent shooting at the intended victim," Cana added.
The prosecutor recommended a bail bond of P120,000 for the provisional liberty of the accused. The case was received by RTC Branch 8 last January 25 which is expected to issue an order of arrest against SPO1 Quirimit next week.