CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — A village chief in this city and his driver were shot dead in broad daylight at a gas station some 500 meters away from the City Hall on Tuesday, June 11.
The victims were identified as Mat Ryan “Gazin” Dela Cruz, chairman of Barangay San Pedro Cutud; and his driver, Henry Aquino.
The two were onboard a sports utility vehicle while refueling when two gunmen alighted from a car and shot them several times from the passenger side of the victims' vehicle.
Lieutenant Colonel Jaime Edejer, spokesperson of Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Dela Cruz, said the victims were pronounced dead on the spot after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
“Dalawang baril po ang ginamit, isang maliit at isang malaki. Tinitignan pa kung nakaretaliate ang mga biktima pero posibleng hindi na,” he said.
He added that one passenger sitting in the car's backseat, whose identity is being withheld pending investigation, managed to get out and run away while the shooting was ongoing.
Edejer said they are conducting hot pursuit operation to track the suspects and establish the motive behind the slaying.
“Immediately after the crime, binuo po ni Brigadier General Joel Hidalgo ang SITG Dela Cruz para agad ma-resolve itong kaso. Currently, wala pa po kaming niru-rule out na angle at lahat ay under investigation pa po,” he said.
Edejer added that they are still reviewing footage from other CCTV cameras in the area to track the car's destination after the crime and obtain a clearer image of its license plate number
Dela Cruz is the third village chief killed in the city after Alvin Mendoza and Jesus Liang, both in 2022. (With reports from Ian Ocampo Flora)