GUAGUA— A known supporter and retired provincial health officer was shot dead Tuesday after attending a fiesta in Barangay Santa Monica in Lubao town at around 7:00 pm.
The victim, identified as Dr. Ernesto Santos died of a lone gunshot wound to the chest according to Guagua police reports. Santos is a known avid supporter of Rudy Reyes, a candidate for Guagua mayor.
Santos boarded Reyes' Isuzu wagon (ZBW-643) when 2 men on a motorcycle arrived and threatened Santos at gunpoint. The driver of the vehicle, identified as Rene Balbuena, managed to run away and called for help as he heard gun shots.
Santos, who was quickly rushed to the Pampanga Specialists Hospital in Lubao, was declared dead on arrival by attending doctors. Balbuena was spared by the gunman.
Reyes' camp said in a television interview that he was the gunman's real target. Reyes said Santos was the one killed because he had boarded the vehicle first.
Reyes is running against incumbent Guagua Mayor Ricardo Rivera of Lakas-Kampi-CMD and Dante Torres of the Liberal Party. Both candidates denied having involvement in the said incident.
Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, officer-in-charge of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office (PPO), said this was the second incident of election-related violence in the province. The first was the slaying of Bong Marcelino, a supporter of Governor Eddie Panlilio last January.
A special investigation team was formed to investigate and arrest the killers of Santos.
"Aside from politics we are looking at the theft angle in the killing of former Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernesto Santos, because his expensive jewelry was taken by the suspect," Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan, Pampanga police provincial director, said yesterday.
Gaerlan said initial investigation showed that the victim had a struggle with his killer before he was gunned down.
"We also theorize that Santos has been the target of opportunity when the gunman saw his jewelry," Gaerlan said.
Santos was shot by the unidentified gunman using a .9mm caliber pistol. (Ian Ocampo Flora with reports from Ric Sapnu)