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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Poll official shot, dies in hospital
MANILA -- An election official was shot dead near the Commission on Elections (Comelec) national office in Manila Monday afternoon.
Wynne Asdala of the Comelec Law Department died at the Manila Doctors Hospital at 3:45 p.m. Monday while undergoing surgery. He sustained a gunshot wound in the left chest.
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"The entry point was at his left shoulder but there was no point of exit for the bullet. That is why he is undergoing exploratory surgery to remove the bullet slug embedded in his body," acting Comelec chairman Romeo Brawner said in a press briefing minutes after the victim was brought to the hospital.
At the same time, Brawner condemned the act, as he described it as a "cowardly and dastardly act."
"We assure the family of Attorney Asdala that we will have this case immediately investigated and leave no stone unturned, so that those behind this heinous crime will be made to fully account and answer before the law," he added.
Asdala was reportedly on his way back to the office after eating lunch in a nearby Chinese fast food when two unidentified motorcycle-riding men shot him at close range in front of the Manila Cathedral at 12:45 p.m. Monday.
Asdala was one of the two officers-in-charge (OIC) at the law department assigned to take over the cases left pending by the late Comelec Law Director Alioden Dalaig, who was also shot dead in November last year. The other is lawyer Joslyn de Mesa.
The Law Department is in charge of investigating election offenses filed before the commission.
Brawner, on the other hand, said they do not want to speculate if the incident is work-related. "It's still early to tell, we are still in the dark with regard to the motive," he said.
Brawner also called on all the Comelec personnel not to be affected by the incident.
"We call on our people in the Comelec, especially those in the field to stand their ground and let not this act of violence dampen their spirits in their continued pursuit of discharging their mandate as the vanguard of democracy and election laws," he said. (FP/MSN/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (March 25, 2008 issue)
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