Batangas village chief gunned down

BATANGAS, Philippines — A barangay chairman in Lipa City in this province was killed in an attack by an unidentified assailant yesterday morning.

Vivencio Palo of Barangay San Carlos was tending his store at around 5:15 a.m. when a car pulled over, according to Lipa police chief Lt. Col. Ariel Azurin.

Police said a man in the car shot Palo repeatedly.

The victim died while undergoing treatment at the Mary Mediatrix Hospital.

Citing statements of Palo’s relatives, probers said that politics could be the motive for the killing.

Palo is running for another term in the coming barangay elections, Azurin said.