1 hurt as hooded gunmen raid village chief's house in Dapitan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  - Masked gunmen raided the house of a barangay chairperson  and held hostage briefly her daughter and two grandchildren Thursday night in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, according to police.

The police said one of the victims was wounded after he was shot by one of the suspects.

The eight hooded gunmen in fatigue uniforms, armed with automatic rifle and handguns, on board a mini pick-up barged into the house of Canlucani barangay chairperson Edna Cabilin about 9 p.m while she  was having her meeting with village officials to prepare for the elections on Monday.

The wounded victim was identified as Richie Cayongcong, 26, secretary of  Cabilin and who was shot on his leg.

Police Superintendent Jerome Afuyog, the Dapitan City Police station officer-in-charge,  said investigation disclosed the gunmen arrived on board on their vehicle and climbed on the fence and stormed the house and barged inside by kicking the main door,  sending the occupants to scamper and hiding in various rooms.

Afuyog said the suspects caught up and held hostage Cabilin's two grandchildren  and ordered all the occupants to step out from hiding.

Cayongcong heeded  and slowly opened the door, but  was shot on his left thigh and kicked him on the back, Afuyog said.

Cabilin then stepped out  as the suspects ordered her to surrender her bag containing money and firearms.

However, Cabilin did not yield her bag prompting the gunmen to cart away one unit of laptop, two units of ipad, silver bracelet,  five cellphones of different models and cash amounting to P7,000 before escaping.

Cayongcong was rushed to the hospital for treatment, while police were alerted about the incident.

The police were also investigating  if the attack was related to  the polls  following reports a number of village leaders have been harassed in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur to intimidate them from supporting certain local political camps.