As Filipinos gathered today to mark the first anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre in Maguindanao and to call for an end to politically-motivated killings, a barangay chief in an Isabela town was gunned down on Tuesday, bringing to four the number of village chiefs killed throughout the country in the past five days. All four village chiefs were shot to death by still unidentified gunmen, who ambushed them in separate incidents in Isabela, Agusan Sur and Abra provinces. Two of the village officials were killed while they were doing the rounds of remote sitios (hamlets) in their barangays (administratively-defined villages), while another was mercilessly gunned down in front of his own house. One of them was shot together with his mother. Wilson Tan, barangay captain of Barangay 3, San Mateo town in Isabela was shot to death in broad daylight today by two motorcycle-riding gunmen, police said. The killing came five days after another village chief, Alfredo Salvador, of Bagong Sikat in Alicia town, also in Isabela, was shot dead in an adjacent barangay. His mother who was with him was also shot dead. The day before, Freddie Balucas Martines, the chief of a barangay in Lagayan town in Abra province, was also shot to death early in the morning by three still unidentified gunmen, according to belated reports from the regional police office. In Agusan del Sur, the chief of Barangay Pangyan, Trento town was shot dead Friday morning by still unidentified gunmen armed with .45 caliber pistols in a remote sitio of his barangay. Police in the four towns interviewed separately by GMANews.TV said that they were still investigating the incidents. 11 bullets for an Isabela village chief Police Officer 1 Leonard Manelga, San Mateo police investigator, said village chief Tan was shot at 12 noon Tuesday with a .45 caliber pistol by one of the two motorcycle-riding men. Tan died on the spot from 11 gunshot wounds: four in the head, four through his chest, and three on his arms. Police said they found 11 empty shells at the crime scene. Tan’s neighbor, Ernesto Corpuz, said he was entering his house when he saw the gunmen arrive. He said he knew the village chief as “very kind," and was thus surprised by the killing. Camouflaged hitmen in Abra Martines was shot Monday morning while he and two companions were on their way to a neighboring village in Lagayan, Abra, police said. Sr. Supt. Armando Lagiwid, Abra Provincial Police Director, said Martines, 47, chairman of barangay Collago, was shot to death by three still unidentified gunmen while he and two companions were on their way to a neighboring village in Lagayan. According to initial investigations conducted by the Abra police, the victim and his companions, identified as Leonardo Alcartado, 32 and Ireneo Martines Sales, 42, were walking along an isolated stretch of the barangay road and headed to nearby barangay Pulot, when the were ambushed. Two witnesses, who were later brought to the police station, said that they suddenly heard gunfire and saw Martines, who was following them, drop to the ground and cry for help. Fearing for their lives, however, the village chief’s companions ran away, leaving him behind. The witnesses also claimed that they could not recognize the features of the assailants, who were hidden behind thick bushes. However, they said that they were able to see that the three gunmen were wearing camouflage military uniforms. Policemen recovered four M16 cartridge cases, two M14 cartridge cases and one cigarette butt. The victim was rushed to the Abra Provincial Hospital, but died from multiple gunshot wounds. According to PO3 Reynaldo Fancuvilla, the victim was an alleged supporter of the New People’s Army who provided food rations whenever rebels passed by his house. 7 bullets for newly-elected chief in Agusan Sur In Agusan del Sur, the chief of barangay Pangyan, Trento town was shot dead Friday morning by still unidentified gunmen armed with .45 caliber pistols in a remote sitio of his barangay. According to belated police reports reaching Butuan city, Barangay Captain Remy Caligang, 31, and his brother Esmeraldo were riding a motorcycle on their way to a remote sitio of the barangay, when the gunmen fired at him. He died from gunshot wounds to different parts of his body, the Caraga Police Regional Information Office said. Trento police found seven empty shells from caliber .45 pistols at the crime scene. Caligang was former a former barangay councilor who won as village chief in a tightly contested election, said former Agusan del Sur Provincial Board Member and Association of Barangay Captains President Reynaldo Quijada.
His village is found in the mountainous parts of Agusan del Sur, situated at the boundary of Compostela Valley-Davao Provinces.—With reports from Ben Serrano, Joel Nueva, Tony Quidangen/DM
