A VILLAGE official was killed while a bystander was wounded in a gun attack in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, the police reported Sunday, November 13.
Police Colonel Eduard Mallo, Zamboanga Sibugay police director, identified the slain village official as Aldot Bantingan, 48, the barangay chairperson of Bulacan, Payao town.
The wounded bystander was identified as Aimee Columbres, 18, a senior high school student.
Mallo said the incident happened around 11 p.m. Friday in Purok 3, Poblacion village, Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay province.
Mallo said investigation showed that Bantingan was driving his motorcycle on the way home after attending a celebration of the “Araw ng Payao” when repeatedly shot by an unidentified person clad hooded jacket aboard another motorcycle that tailed the victim.
Mallo said that Bantingan died instantaneously while Columbres was hospitalized after she was hit by a stray bullet.
He said the suspect sped off and an empty shell of a caliber .45 pistol and a deformed slug of the same caliber were recovered at the crime scene.
He said investigation continues to unmask the suspect behind the incident. (SunStar Zamboanga)