Las Piñas ABC head shot dead

A Las Piñas barangay chairman, who is a nephew of Mayor Vergel "Nene" Aguilar, was killed while his bodyguard is in critical condition after they were gunned down near a barangay hall in Las Piñas City yesterday afternoon.

The victims were identified as Albert "Abet" Aguilar, 35, married, of BF Homes International, Las Piñas City and his personal bodyguard, Nonido "Addie" Masangga.

Aguilar, who was chairman of the city’s Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC) and sat as the ABC representative in the city council, is a son of Filemon "Sonny" Aguilar, Jr., the mayor’s brother and brother-in law of senatorial aspirant former Speaker and Las Piñas Rep. Manny Villar.

His grandfather is Don Filemon Aguilar, who served as mayor of Las Piñas, which then included Muntinlupa, for 26 years.

The shooting took place at around 12:50 p.m. along Saging street near the Barangay CAA Hall, in this city.

Aguilar and his bodyguard had just emerged from the barangay hall and were on their way to Aguilar’s car when the assassin walked after them and fired a volley of shots from a caliber .45 pistol.

Aguilar was hit in the left side of his body while Masangga was hit in the head. Aguilar was rushed to the Perpetual Help Hospital where he expired after 45 minutes while undergoing treatment. Masangga is in critical condition in the same hospital.

Policemen from a police community precinct near the barangay hall were able to respond immediately and chase the assassin whom they were able to wound.

However, despite his gunshot wound, the assassin was able to limp away until an angry group of residents cornered him and mauled him to death.

No identifying papers were found in his possession. Witnesses told police that the assassin was noted to have been standing idly near the barangay hall several hours before the shooting. He reportedly had a female companion who left minutes before the shooting.

Police had yet to determine the motive for the shooting and had not made an initial investigation report on the incident as of 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

However, several angles are already being eyed behind the killing of the Aguilar scion.

It was learned that barangay CAA, particularly its big squatter community, is said to be a haven of illegal drug activities.

The slain Aguilar, according to his supporters, had been waging an intense anti-illegal drugs campaign in his community.

The sources said the city police was known to be soft in their illegal drugs operations but was not being taken to task by the city government.

A political angle, police said, could not be discounted in the heat of the campaign season and the Aguilars are vying for the two top posts in the city.

The slain Aguilar’s uncle, the mayor, is vying for his third term; while his aunt, the mayor’s sister and senatorial aspirant Villar’s wife, Cynthia, is running for her husband’s former Congress seat.