Calbayog assistant city engineer shot dead

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — While authorities had just organized a joint task force to end the killings in Samar, riding-in-tandem men shot dead the city government’s assistant engineer Tuesday morning along Navarro Street of Calbayog City.

Investigators of the Calbayog City Police Station identified the victim as Engineer Rafaelito "Joker " Serrano, a known supporter of Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino.

The wounded Serrano was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival, while the assailants sped off with their motorcycle towards Asis Street, where another motorcycle was waiting for them for their final escape.

A hot pursuit operation was immediately carried out against the killers who, according to some witnesses, they could not identify and were only using short firearms in their attack.

Mayor Aquino was dismayed over the continued killings of his supporters, including the three others, before and after the May 14 elections, that claimed the lives of his barangay officials and City Hall personnel.

Aquuino said he is disappointed over the “failure of the police” to stop the violence that have caused already panic and fear among the public.

Former DILG Secretary Mel Sarniento had deployed, during his term, a total of 200 policemen of the Special Action Force to Calbayog. From 2014 to early 2016, the police recorded a total of 32 killings in Calbayog, 22 of which remained unsolved to this day.