Negros Occidental councilor shot dead

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A year after a board member and his bodyguard were killed in Isabela town, a reelected councilor was also shot dead at a public market in Magallanes Street, late Wednesday afternoon, June 29.

Police identified the victim as Crispin Posadas Jr., 50, of Barangay Cansalongon. He was the number three councilor in the town. This would have been his last term.

Senior Superintendent William Señoron, acting director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said the victim had alighted from his motorcycle when 3 armed men approached him and shot him dead around 5 pm.

Posadas was brought to a hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival. The suspects, meanwhile, fled by commandeering a tricycle and abandoned it at Barangay Maytubig.

Empty shells of .45 caliber were recovered from the scene, Señoron said.

He added that they have yet to confirm reports that the assassination was perpetrated by the New People’s Army, who claimed that the victim was allegedly involved in illegal activities in the town.

Señoron said that investigation is still ongoing as they have yet to establish the motive of the incident.

Last year, a board member and his bodyguard were also gunned down in the same town.

On June 28, 2015, Fifth District Board Member Renato Malabor and his bodyguard Leody Jomilla were shot outside a cockpit in Asenso Village, Barangay Guintubhan, Isabela town.

The suspects – Police Officer 1 Robert Chloe Rito, Jacklyn Villaquer, Felipe Juntarciego, Eduardo Jugos Jr., Alias Taming, Alias Nonoy, Alias Jason, “John Does” and “Peter Does” – are facing charges for double murder.

Three of the suspects – Villaquer, Juntarciego and Jugos – were already in police custody after they were caught in separate operations last year. – Rappler.com