Reelected Pangasinan village chief killed

MANGALDAN, Pangasinan, Philippines — Another reelected barangay captain has been gunned down.

Melinda Morillo, 60, of Barangay Poblacion in this town was driving her sport utility vehicle when unidentified motorcycle-riding men blocked her path in Barangay Tebag on Thursday and opened fire, according to reports from the Pangasinan police.

Morillo suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead on arrival at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City. 

Probers have yet to determine the motive for the killing.

The Mangaldan municipal government condemned the attack on Morillo.

Mayor Bona Fe Parayno directed the police to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies to arrest the perpetrators. 

A special investigation task group was created to look into the incident.

Last week, reelected village chief Helen Abrigado of Barangay Ferdinand in Marcos, Ilocos Norte had just attended a lantern parade and was in a government van when she was shot dead.

In Zamboanga del Sur on Saturday last week, Jerry Olaier, chairman of Barangay Poblacion in Guipos town, was walking alone when he was gunned down.

Several reelected and new barangay captains and council members have been killed in gun attacks since a week after the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.