BY JEN BAYLON
BACOLOD City – Police authorities are not dismissing the possibility that the death of an active village councilor’s husband could be insurgency-related.
Early Tuesday morning, Allan Macasling Sr., 55, was shot dead in Sitio Banquerohan, Barangay Salamanca in Toboso town, Negros Occidental.
Major Jun Ray Batadlan, chief of Toboso Municipal Police Station, said their initial investigation showed that the victim was working at his fish pond at around 8 a.m. when around five armed suspects arrived.
Macasling was reportedly cuffed by the suspects and brought back to their house, where he was killed in front of his family.
According to Batadlan, the armed men even had a brief conversation with Macasling’s wife before the victim was shot in the head with what was believed to be a .45 caliber firearm.
With the village reportedly being rebel-influenced, the couple were allegedly supporters of the government’s campaign against the communist rebellion.
On the other hand, the wife alleged that the suspects may also have a grudge against Macasling for warding off individuals who loiter and steal from his pond.
Currently, the police have launched a hot pursuit operation with the Philippine Army./PN
