Valenzuela barangay chief shot dead

A barangay chairman was shot dead by at least two of five unidentified gunmen in front of a stunned crowd while he was getting ready for flag-raising rites at the barangay hall yesterday in Valenzuela City.

The police are still trying to determine the motive for the slaying and no arrests have been made.

Barangay Punturin chairman Vicente “Benjie” Pacheco Trinidad, 37, died on the spot from gunshot wounds in the head and nape. He was taken to the Sta. Clara de Montefalco Hospital in Meycauayan, Bulacan but was declared dead on arrival by Dr. Daniel Lising.

Wounded seriously in the same incident was laborer Jessie Villanueva, 25, who was hit by a stray bullet in the head. He was taken to the same hospital.

Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian condemned Trinidad’s killing and has personally offered a P500,000 reward for information leading to the suspects’ arrest.

“I condemn the brutal slaying of one of our best barangay chairmen. The killing was a deplorable act and the people responsible should be brought to justice immediately,” Gatchalian said as he condoled with the victim’s family.

Gatchalian has directed Superintendent Billy Beltran, city police chief, and his men to conduct a through investigation.

Beltran has launched a massive manhunt to capture the perpetrators, believed to be hired professional killers.

With the crime perpetrated in full public view and witnessed by hundreds of local residents and barangay officials, Gatchalian sought to allay fears of any breakdown in local peace and order situation.

“I urge the people not to be intimidated by this brazen act. This is an isolated incident. This does not manifest a breakdown of the local peace and order. Our police are capable and your city government continues to make peace and order a priority,” he said.

Records showed Trinidad was standing in front of the barangay hall as the flag-raising ceremony was about to begin when an unidentified male suspect casually walked behind him.

The suspect pulled out a .45 caliber pistol concealed in a brown envelop and shot Trinidad in the face. As the victim lay on the pavement, another suspect came up and fired a single round into his nape before walking away from the area. Witnesses told probers they were too stunned by the turn of events to immediately react.

The suspects, with three others seen acting as lookouts, later commandeered a Mitsubishi L-300 van (with plate number TEW-502) driven by owner Almario de la Cruz of Bocaue, Bulacan along Doña Elena corner P. Faustino streets in Punturin. De la Cruz was with his wife Teresita.

The De la Cruzes said the suspects forced themselves into the van, telling them that they were chasing a rape suspect.

“Mabubuting tao kami. Mga NPA kami” (We’re good people. We’re members of the NPA) or the communist New People’s Army, the couple quoted one of the suspects as saying.

One of the suspects fired a shot into the air to discourage any pursuers, according to the couple.

The suspects got off the van upon reaching Gate 2 of the Vista Verde subdivision at the Caloocan City-Valenzuela border before boarding a tricycle.

The police are looking at several angles in Trinidad’s case, including land disputes in his barangay and politics.

Trinidad’s case is the fourth reported attack this month on a barangay executive as the October barangay polls approach.

Last week, chairman Ronnie Sicat of Barangay Central in Quezon City was reportedly shot dead while inside the barangay multi-purpose hall.

Also last week, gunmen attacked two barangay chairmen in Batangas: Cesar Agoho of Barangay Cale in Tanauan, and Romeo Mansanilla of Barangay San Miguel in Sto. Tomas.  Agoho was killed but Mansanilla survived.