Town councilor, 2 others shot dead in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — Four unidentified armed suspects yesterday shot and killed a municipal councilor and two others at Barangay Lopez Jaena in Murcia town of Negros Occidental.

Killed were Salvador Benedicto Councilor Eden Bacordo, his girlfriend, Lea Mae Saldua, and Arnold Larida, alias Anoy, a job order casual of the municipal government.

All of them succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, including head injuries.

Jinky Piniano who had witnessed the incident, disclosed that her niece,  Lea Mae, died by using her body as a shield, in an attempt to protect Bacordo from the assailants, whom she described as wearing bonnets, clad in short pants and jackets.

Recovered from the incident were several empty shells of M16 assault and Garand rifles.

Bacordo is the son of former rebel leader-turned barangay chairman of Bagong Silang, also of Salvador Benedicto town.

The elder Bacordo refused to speculate on the cause of death of his son, Eden.

However, Eden was reported to have been linked to the death of Charlie Boli-Boli, a leader of the breakaway faction of the NPA, two months ago, at Brgy. Bago, Salvador Benedicto. (FREEMAN)