(UPDATED) -- A former councilor of Talisay City was shot dead outside his house in Mansueto Village, Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City Wednesday night.
Emil Go, who served as Talisay City councilor from 2002 to 2008, sustained a bullet wound on his head when police found him lying within the compound of his house at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 21.
A man onboard a white car reportedly entered Go’s compound and upon exiting the vehicle, shot the victim.
Senior Police Officer 1 Jason del Campo of the Talisay City Police Station said that after shooting Go, the unidentified suspect then approached the victim and shot him four times before fleeing.
Go’s family, who was inside his house, reportedly heard the gunshots.
Del Campo said there is still no clear motive behind Go’s murder.
A follow-up investigation is still being conducted to determine.
He was ‘a cool guy’
This was the second shooting of a public figure in Metro Cebu this week alone and the fifth attack since Feb. 19. Before Go, the other public figures who were shot were Ronda Vice Mayor Jonnah John Ungab (Feb. 19 in Cebu City); PO2 Romeo Bolaño (March 13 in Minglanilla); Councilor Alexander Alicaway (March 14 in San Fernando); and Jail Insp. Edwin Sarcon (March 19 in Cebu City). Only Sarcon survived.
Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao said he was saddened by Go’s murder. Bucao described his friend as a “cool guy” who was often the voice of reason during debates between his fellow legislators.
“Siya gyu’y mora’g nahimong defuser sa mga konsehal basta magdebate (He kept the councilors from fighting during debates),” Bucao added.
Go served as one of the city councilors when Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas won his first run for city mayor in 2001. Go served for two terms as city councilor but lost when he ran for reelection in 2008. His son Frederick is a former barangay councilman of Bulacao.
Despite being a city councilor, Go faced accusations of being involved in illegal gambling activities.
In 2003, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas conducted a probe on him after two police officers accused him of being involved in illegal gambling operations. Controversy also followed him, at least once, after he’d left the political scene.
In 2013, Go and another civilian were hurt after a retired policeman shot them during a dispute in a cockfight in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City. Go was reportedly trying to pacify a fight within the cockpit, when he got hurt instead.(JKV/SunStar Cebu)