Iloilo mayoral bet slain

SAN JOAQUIN, Iloilo — A mayoral candidate of the People Power Coalition (PPC) was shot dead yesterday morning, and his rival, the incumbent mayor, later surrendered after he was tagged as the alleged killer, police said.

The death of 52-year-old Jesus Sibya Jr. (Reporma-PPC) brings to 53 the number of election-related killings since April 1, the Associated Press quoted the police as saying.

Sibya was shot with a caliber .45 pistol thrice — in the head, ear and near the sex organ — allegedly by his opponent, Mayor Sebastian Serag (Nationalist People’s Coalition), brother of Iloilo’s first district Rep. Ninfa Garin.

Sibya had just returned home from a rally at about 5:30 a.m. when a carload of armed men headed by Serag arrived at his house, which also served as his headquarters, along M. H. del Pilar street here. This town is some 53 kilometers from Iloilo City.

The PPC candidate reportedly went out to confront the group and was shot by Serag, at least 20 witnesses said. Sibya died at about 6:55 a.m. at St. Paul’s Hospital.

Police said Sibya’s driver, Norberto Salamat, was hit by a bullet in the right hand.

Prior to the incident, Sibya’s wife Daisy said they had received a text message that there were armed men inside Serag’s car. "Even the people outside our house saw that it was Serag who shot my husband," she said.

A barangay chairman, who requested anonymity, said he saw two passenger jeepneys, a Toyota Revo, a Honda Civic and two motorcycles, all bearing armed men, stop in front of Sibya’s house prior to the shooting.

Serag, accompanied by sister Ninfa, surrendered to authorities at 8 a.m. He, however, was later brought to a hospital in Guimbal town because of high blood pressure and hypertension.

Lawyer Cornelio Panes, one of Serag’s counsels, said they will wait for the results of the police investigation into Sibya’s death.

Soldiers and two truckloads of policemen were deployed to this town to augment the local police.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor said he was saddened by the incident and assured Sibya’s wife that he would support their quest for justice.

Sibya served as an officer-in-charge of this town from 1986 to 1988. He was subsequently elected mayor and served from 1988 to 1998.

He was the president of the Iloilo chapter of the League of Municipalities.

Rodolfo Saroza, regional director of the Commission on Elections, said the Reporma party will have to decide on Sibya’s replacement as mayoral candidate.