Barangay chairman, his companion shot dead in Calbayog ambush

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The 48-year-old chairman of Barangay Malaga in Calbayog City, and his companion from another barangay were gunned down in an ambush, carried out by three men, at neighboring Barangay Marcatubig in that city at 6 p.m. Friday.

The victims, Malaga village chief Mark Anthony Giray and companion Boyet Dura of Barangay Camanipi, were on their way home on a motorcycle when, upon reaching Marcatubig, three unidentified men fired a hail of gunshots at the two.

Calbayog Police said the victims, who were hit in different parts of their bodies and fell off their motorcycle, were declared dead on arrival at the hospital in the city. The assailants quickly fled from the crime scene.

Responding policemen found from the scene at least 25 empty shells of bullets from an M16-armalite rifle and .45-caliber pistol. The hot pursuit operations, immediately carried out by the police however failed to track down and arrest the attackers.

As this developed, police investigators said they could not determine yet the possible motive about this recent killings, whether it was politics or personal grudge. They are now on the process of identification of the killers, based on possible hints from any eyewitnesses.

Senior Superintendent Nicholas Torre III, director of the Samar Police Provincial Office, meanwhile ordered an immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Giray was the 13th barangay official killed in Calbayog City since 2013. (FREEMAN)