Barangay chairman gunned down

BACNOTAN, La Union ,Philippines  – The female chairman of Barangay Calautit here was gunned down while watching a basketball game at the town plaza around 8 p.m. Sunday.

Senior Inspector Ismael Gauna, the town’s police chief, identified the victim as Thelma Bucalbos, 50, who succumbed to a lone gunshot wound on her back. She died while undergoing surgery at the Bethany Hospital in San Fernando City.

Gauna said one of the referees, a certain Leonardo Ursua, was also hit on his waist by a stray bullet but survived.

The suspect, identified as Rolando Atenemro, 35, a resident of Gen. Prim, Bangar town was immediately arrested.

Senior Superintendent Ramon Purugganan, La Union police director, ordered investigators to dig deeper into the case, saying the suspect could be a hired killer.