San Fernando: Another town councilor shot dead

CEBU, Philippines —  San Fernando, Cebu municipal councilor Alfonso Donaire IV has become the fifth elected official in town to have been killed by unknown perpetrators since last year.

Donaire was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants yesterday morning while he was on his way to his father’s house in the town of Ramon Magsaysay in Zamboanga del Sur.

Chief Supt. Emmanuel Luis Licop, director of Police Regional Office-9, confirmed to The FREEMAN that the victim was the same Donaire who sits as a member of the municipal council of San Fernando town in Cebu.

Donaire was among the three municipal officials of San Fernando who, back in July 2017, were arrested in separate raids that led to the confiscation of several unlicensed firearms and packs of suspected shabu.

That time, a team from the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of the Police Regional Office nabbed councilors Donaire, Edwin Villaver, and Johnny Arriesgado, then the president of the town’s Association of Barangay Councils.

Aside from charges for possession of loose firearms, another charge was added against Donaire for possession of illegal drugs.

The persons who killed him yesterday, according to Licop, were onboard a motorcycle – the driver was wearing a face mask while the back rider was wearing jacket and long pants.

Donaire was walking to the house of his father in Purok 2, Barangay Poblacion when the gunmen suddenly arrived and shot him multiple times using.45 caliber and 9mm pistols. He suffered gunshot wounds to different parts of his body that caused his instantaneous death.

The men fled the crime scene and sped off towards the neighboring town of Molave.

Three empty shells of caliber .45 and two of 9mm pistol were recovered from the crime scene.

As of this writing, Ramon Magsaysay policemen were still conducting a hot pursuit operation against the assailants and a follow-up investigation to determine the motive behind the killing.

Donaire’s shooting continued the spate of killings targeting San Fernando officials.

Last January 22, the van carrying San Fernando Mayor Lakambini “Neneth” Reluya, her husband and Association of Barangay Councils president Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya Jr., and four others was ambushed in Barangay Linao, Talisay City.

Killed on the spot were Ricardo, driver Allan Bayot, and San Fernando promotions officer Ricky Monterona.

Mayor Reluya suffered a gunshot wound to her arm but survived, along with her two other companions.

On January 16, Arriesgado, who was then the barangay captain of Magsico, was shot dead while driving his multicab along the national highway in Barangay South Poblacion.

A week earlier, San Fernando municipal councilor Reneboy Dacalos, 51, was also shot by unknown assailants while inside the store of his brother-in-law in Barangay South Poblacion.

In March 2018, municipal councilor Alexander Alicaway was also shot dead by unidentified assailants. — JMD (FREEMAN)