A VILLAGE chief was shot dead by four unidentified assailants on two motorcycles in front of his store in Barangay 16, Bacolod City Saturday night, December 1.
The victim was identified as Barangay 16 chief Nelson Ligaya Jr., 48.
Chief Inspector Sherlock Gabana, public information officer of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said Ligaya was having a drinking session with his four friends at 9:30 p.m. when he was shot at close range by one of the assailants. His companions were unharmed.
Gabana said, the gunman and the motorcycle driver who were both wearing face masks escaped after shooting the victim.
He added, another motorcycle was seen at the corner of the street with two other men who were also wearing face masks and served as a lookout. They also fired shots to possibly divert the attention of the people nearby.
Ligaya sustained six gunshot wounds and was rushed to a private hospital, where he was declared dead. He will be subjected to an autopsy.
Police recovered from the scene four fired bullets of .45 caliber and three deformed slugs of the same firearm.
Gabana said the perpetrators probably monitored Ligaya's activities before they committed the crime.
“There is really an intent to kill him,” he added.
Gabana said they are eyeing grudge or the victim's unsettled debts as the motives of the incident.
They are also checking if the village chief had threats prior to the incident.
Gabana said they cannot tell yet if the killing can also be linked to politics.
As this developed, Gabana dismissed reports that Ligaya was the village chief involved in illegal drugs, as revealed by President Rodrigo Duterte when he visited the city during the 39th MassKara Festival in October.
Duterte withheld the name of the village chief, but he warned him to stop the illegal activity or leave Bacolod.
Gabana said Ligaya was not included in the drugs watchlist and has been active in the campaign against narcotics.
His constituents even have no complaints against him as a barangay official, he added.
Meanwhile, Gabana said the BCPO has formed a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to focus on investigating the death of the village chief.