INVESTIGATORS are looking into business-related and personal grudges as angles on the shooting death of a village chief of Napaliran, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, night of Easter Sunday, April 21.
Police said two unidentified gunmen staged ambush on Napaliran barangay chairman Claver Miral, around 9:00 p.m. at Punta Gorda, Barangay Hermano while he was on his way home from Jasaan town on board his motorcycle.
Miral succumbed to five gunshot wounds to his chest, stomach and lower extremities by a 9mm pistol.
He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead shortly.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Surki Serenas, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO- Northern Mindanao), said investigators ruled out the angle on politics as motive on the killing.
“We are ruling out politics kay dili daw problematic si kapitan in terms of politics so we are looking on two angles ang business and personal,” Serenas said.
Serenas said the incident may have connections with the real estate brokering business of the barangay captain.
“Kana among gitan-aw karon kay posible nga dili satisfy sa iyang pag-broker unya dako-dako nga transaction,” he added.
“Naistorya pa sa atong first responder nga police si kapitan pero wala niya maila ang mga suspek ingon lang siya duha ka tawo,” Serenas said.
Provincial board member Prexy Elipe has called on the authorities for a thorough investigation and bring perpetrators to justice.
Elipe said Miral is a political ally of Padayon Pilipino and they have been seeing each other every time there are political activities.
The vice-gubernatorial candidate also hopes the incident would not trigger unnecessary speculations that would create more problems especially that the elections is approaching.
“Hinaot nga madali ang investigation aron makab-ot ang hustisya,” Elipe said.