A TOTAL of five newly elected barangay officials were killed a little over a week following the just concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.
Of the five victims, two were from villages in North Cotabato, and one each from Pasay City, Davao del Norte, and Pagadian City in Zamboanga.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said they recorded six violent incidents involving newly elected government officials, which two were in Soccsksargen and one each in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Northern Mindanao and Davao Region.
Of the six victims, two were newly elected barangay chairmen, while four were barangay councilors.
On Nov. 1, Suharto Antillino was gunned down by a still unidentified suspect shortly after he was proclaimed as among the winning barangay council candidates of Barangay Poblacion in Midsayap town.
Barangay 37, Pasay City Kagawad Lina Camacho was also shot dead while inside the barangay hall on Nov. 6. One of the two suspects was arrested.
On Nov. 7, Barangay Datu Abdul Dadia in Panabo City chairman Paul Albert Saquian was gunned down while driving his car.
On the same day, Barangay Dolores, Antipas, North Cotabato councilman Edmar Perero was also shot dead while on board a tricycle.
The latest victim was newly elected Lapedian, Pagadian City village chief Rodolfo Dacol, who succumbed to a bullet wound in his abdomen on Thursday, Nov. 9.
Fajardo considered the first six incidents as election-related.
Fajardo said they are still monitoring post-election activities and scenarios.
He added that regional directors and field commanders were given the discretion to determine if they would lower their alert status, particularly their security deployments in areas where they see that the situation is still hot especially even after the election.
From Aug. 28, the number of recorded validated election-related incidents has increased to 77, of which 39 were in the Bangsamoro region, 13 in Northern Mindanao, five each in Eastern Visayas and Cordillera, four in Bicol, three in Ilocos, two in Central Visayas and one each in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen.
A total of 19 individuals were killed in these incidents.
Pagadian Shooting
Meanwhile, the police, on Thursday, reported that Dacol was killed in a gun attack by a lone assailant in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
The Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula said the incident happened around 6:38 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, in Lapedian village, Pagadian City.
Dacol, 56, succumbed to a bullet wound in his abdomen.
Investigation showed that Dacol was driving a three-wheeled vehicle locally known as “bao-bao.” It was about to park when the suspect approached and shot the official with a caliber .45 pistol.
The gunman, who was clad in a red t-shirt and short pants, fled after shooting the victim.
Dacol was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.
Fraynald, son of Dacol, told the police that his father had received death threats before the incident.
Fraynald is also a newly elected Sangguniang Kabataan councilor in Lapedian village.
The police are conducting an in-depth probe to unmask the gunman. / (TPM, with SunStar Zamboanga)