Pangasinan councilor, lawmaker’s aide slain

SAN JACINTO, Pangasinan, Philippines — A councilor of this town was shot dead by an unidentified motorcycle-riding man in Barangay Imelda on Sunday.

Virgilio Calizo Jr., 42, died from a bullet wound in the head, according to Capt. Oliver Baniqued, San Jacinto police officer-in-charge.

Baniqued said Calizo, a resident of Barangay Guibel, was in an L300 van parked near a store while his wife was buying bottled water when he was shot.

Calizo died while being treated at the Medical Centrum in Dagupan City.

Baniqued said probers have a person of interest in the killing. He did not elaborate.

In Abra, an aide of Rep. Joseph Bernos was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men in front of a convenience store in Bangued, also on Sunday.

Teddy Baguyo, 55, and his wife were supposed to buy snacks at the store when he was shot  several times at around 8:50 p.m., according to reports received by Abra police director Col. Alfredo Dangani.

Baguyo died while being treated at the Abra Provincial Hospital.

Last year, Bernos and his wife Menchie, mayor of La Paz town, were wounded in a grenade attack while watching a fireworks display during a town fiesta. Two police officers were killed in the explosion.

Probers are looking into the connection of the incident with the killing of Baguyo. – With Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao