BY JEN BAYLON
ILOILO – The reelected barangay captain of Pajo, Lambunao, was ambushed on the night of the elections, Oct. 30. The suspect was his losing political opponent.
According to Major Joegen Suegay, police chief of Lambunao, the attack happened at around 10:50 p.m. as Punong Barangay Renato Libuna was sending his poll watchers home.
Renato, his wife Jona, and six other passengers were onboard the barangay captain’s sport utility vehicle.
A bullet grazed Jona while the other passengers were unharmed. They were Jorlyn Niepes, her 12-year-old son Joney Gallego Llaban, Judy Casaquete, Arlyn Geoge, and JB Tahilo.
Renato and the other passengers claimed to have witnessed gunfire from Dioscoro Lozada, who was also a candidate for barangay captain.
Lozada’s whereabouts were unknown as of this writing. Police said a hot pursuit operation was launched.
Police investigators counted seven bullet holes in Libuna’s vehicle.
A single slug of what was believed to be from a .45 pistol was recovered. It will be subjected to a ballistics examination.
Major Rolando Araño, spokesperson of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, confirmed in a radio interview that the strafing was election-related but an isolated incident. (With additional details from XFM Radyo Patrol Iloilo)/PN