Friday, December 19, 2008 Del Rosario aide dies after 3 weeks in ICU By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE aide of Davao del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario expired at the Tagum Regional Hospital Wednesday evening after more than three weeks of fighting for her life.
Declared dead at about 8 p.m. of December 17 was Jovelyn Villanueva, liaison officer of the governor.
The 43-year-old Villanueva was shot by armed man in Barangay Apokon, Tagum City on November 25. She was comatose at the intensive care unit (ICU) until her death.
Initial investigation showed the victim was about to board a tricycle for home from the hospital when an armed man appeared and hit her with the butt of a caliber .45 gun. She tried to run away but was shot twice in the body.
Villanueva had helped poor patients at DRH. Police sources said she was once a rebel and that her assassins could be her former comrades in arms.
Aside from Villanueva, three others were wounded by stray bullets during the shooting.
The victims were identified as Concisa Jao, 44, a resident of Pagaran, Barangay Apokon; Jerson Dunlog, 20, a student at the Tagum National Trade School; and Rosario dela Cruz, 54, resident of Barangay Cabuyuan, Mabini, Compostela Valley Province. The three were standing nearby when the shooting occurred.
The Tagum City police recovered two empty shells of a caliber .45 gun at the crime scene that are believed to be from the gunman's weapon.
