CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The man who was shot dead Wednesday night in nearby Mexico town was a supporter of Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.
It was learned that Marciliano "Bong" Dizon, 45, was a volunteer and a coordinator of the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement (NAPM) in the town.
Sandy Quiwa Bansil, NAPM chief of operations in the province, said in a press statement that Dizon was an active recruiter for the LP.
According to Bansil, Dizon "worked hard to get candidates on our side, but was frustrated because it almost always happened that the candidates would join NP or Lakas at the last minute."
Dizon's peers believed that the killing is politically motivated.
On Wednesday evening, Dizon and Bansil attended a wake. The latter said she entered while Dizon stayed outside.
After 15 minutes, he entered and approached Bansil, hugged her, and told the people around her to help with the efforts of NAPM.
Bansil said she saw the victim step outside and a few seconds later, she heard gunshots.
She ran out to the veranda, and saw Dizon was already bloody.
When asked to comment on the possible motive of the killing, Bansil said: "Mainit talaga si Bong dahil sa pagka-expose niya sa pag-recruit. Malakas yung possibility na politically motivated talaga dahil sa trabaho namin."
Senator Aquino released a statement condemning the killing of his volunteer.
"Whatever government has done in curbing electoral violence is clearly not enough to ensure that the upcoming elections will be free from it," he said, adding the government must do more.
"I strongly condemn the senseless murder of Bong Dizon and challenge the authorities to immediately arrest the perpetrators of this crime, bring them to the bar of justice and forestall more election-related incidents. We will not allow these murderers to sow fear and scare our loyal supporters. Tuloy ang laban!" he said. (Reynaldo G. Navales)